31295014877483

AN INTERSECTION
BETWEEN
ARCHITECTURE
AND
NATURE
by
Michael Hsia
A THESIS
IN
ARCHITECTURE
Submitted to the Architecture Faculty
of the College of Architecture
of Texas Tech University in
partial Fulfillment for
the Degree of
MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE
Ac
/ / / ; / / / 3 3^3
J^^^^ An Intersection Between Architecture and Nature
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabiiytion Center of LubbocI
1.0 Introduction ~ Preface
By the end of the 20* century, the shift fi-om the industrial age to the technological age
has allowed humanity to go faster and farther than anyone imagined at the end of the 19* century.
Obvious advancements consist of flight, spaceflight, television and computer technologies. Less
obvious advances include things taken for granted in architecture: artificial lighting, plumbing, and
elevators.
At the end of the 20* century, humanity should give thanks to the advances that were
made possible through advancements in fossil fuel collection and use. Energy, based on
petroleum, coal, and natural gas, is the most significant source of fuel for the energy dependent
technology based world we exist in. Nations have suffered and wars have been fought for the
privilege of cheap fuel.
At the end of the 20* century, a convenient material driven world has been created to
create and consume the throwaway products society adores. Disposable razors, disposable CD
players, and disposable cars, over 120,000 plus miles, are the norm.
At the end of the 20* century, humanity has realized that fuel and material resources are
rapidly dwindling as the human population frighteningly rises toward a seemingly dark
Malthusian prophecy. Within this process of human growth is the disappearance of much of the
flora and fauna on the planet.
At the beginning of the 21^ century will be a time in which humanity must decide what
direction it must go to survive as a whole. Education must be universal and population growth
must be controlled. Furthermore, a transition will occur in which the human species will shift
fi-om a technological age into an age of sustainability.

1.0 Introduction - Preface
My thesis attempts to look at the future in a positive light. Furthermore, it makes the assumption
that architecture of the present will pale in comparison to that of the future. An environmentally
sensitive architecture seeks to rectify contemporary problems by creating a more honest and
intelligent dialogue between structure, site, and climate.
With this dialogue one can create a superior environment that is much more pleasant than
the sealed, energy-efficient prisons found today. Furthermore, it wall save more energy than
before because it takes advantage of solar and wind resources that are infinitely renewable and
pollution fi-ee.

1.1 Introduction - Table of Contents
Part 1: Program Overview

1.0 Preface 1
1.1 Table of Contents 3
1.2 Abstract 4
Part 2: Architectural Issues

2.0 Introduction 5
2.1 Thesis 8
2.2 Responses 11
2.3 Case Studies 16
2.4 References 19
Part 3: Contextual Issues

3.0 Goals and Objectives 20
3.1 Site Analysis 21
3.2 Climate 22
3.3 Responses 23
3.4 Case Studies 26
3.5 References 27
Part 4: Facility Issues

4.0 Mission Statement 28
4.1 Analysis 29
4.2 Case Studies 33
4.3 Responses 38
4.4 User Issues 41
4.5 Spatial Relationship Diagram 58
4.5 References 59
Part 5: Space Summary

5.0 Space Analysis 60
Part 6: Design Solution

6.0 Introduction 61
6.1 Process 63
6.2 Response 66
6.3 Solution 78
6.4 Conclusion

1.2 Introduction - Abstract
Thesis Statement
Architecture is in a state of change as sustainability becomes a key topic of the 21^
century. Early efforts in green architecture in the 1970's focused on energy savings through better
insulation and technology to seal, air condition, and light buildings. Unfortunately, this strategy
created a myriad of new problems, transforming architecture into a barrier between humans and
nature.
An environmentally sensitive architecture seeks to rectify these contemporary problems
by creating a more honest and intelligent dialogue between structure, site, and climate.
Facility Type
The wildlife rehabilitation center is a relatively new building type that can be considered
as the distillation of a zoo or an amalgamation of wildlife hospital and nature center. It is a facility
that must be closely connected to nature due to the inherent connection between the wild patients
and nature.
Scope of Project
Sustainability is a topic that covers the building, its site, and sites involved in the
collection and processing of building materials. The scope of this project. Wildlife Rehabilitation
Center of Lubbock, is limited to the building and its site. The project seeks to take advantage of
solar and wind resources available on site to light and heat the building. It also attempts to reduce
the ecological impact of building through conscious preservation of niches on site.
Context Statement
The facility will be located in the semi-arid Llano Estacado region of Texas. The hot,
breezy, sun drenched climate provides an excellent environment for solar design. Furthermore, its
rich ecology and history provides contextual input into the building design process.

2.0 Architectural Issues - Introduction
Architecture strives to transform the natural world into a human ideal. The meta-
Production
morphosis of the unpredictable natural environment into Vitruvian goals of Firmness, Utility, and Phase
Delight has been one of the central tenants of Architecture for millennia. It is a most essential Production
Production Phase
human endeavor. However, to create these most extraordinary human niches a variety of natural Phase
environmental niches must be sacrificed at their site and beyond. Architectural impact cannot
occur without environmental impact.
illConstruction
Phase
The concept of sustainability has evolved through the latter part of the 20* century: fi-om
a focus of immediate energy savings in occupied buildings, towards a more holistic accounting of
resources. It is now simply defined as "minimizing the ecological impact of building"* However,
I
Operational
Phase
the size and scope of the definition is immense. One not only must consider the ecology and
envirormient on site, but beyond where resources are obtained and processed into refined goods.
The construction of one building requires several hundred products that have themselves come
fi-om several thousand sources around the globe. The acquisition of each source impacts the I
Demolition/
natural envirormient. It is a simple definition with global impact. Recycling
The impact architecture has on the environment must be considered fi-om four points of Figure 2-1 - The Building Life Cycle
view: the production of building products, the construction of the building, its operational phase,
and the reclamation of materials when the building is torn down.^ From each vantage point
natural resources, such as wood, coal, and iron ore, are used, and environments are modified, on
building sites and beyond. This project, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock, focuses on
these four points, with emphasis on energy usage during the occupancy phase.
' Wendy Talarico, "The Nature of Green Architecture," Arechitectural Record, April 1998, 149.
^ Ken Yeang, Designing with Nature: The Ecological Basis for Ecological Design, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995, 131-
132.

Cheap energy powers the modem world. The bulk of this energy comes from fossil fuels,
a limited natural resource.^ With ever-increasing consumption, from the several hundred million
users in the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan, to the billions of potential users in the myriad of
emerging nations, the supply of oil, coal, and natural gas is destined to run dry within the next few
decades, increasing its cost.'* Furthermore, the modem world's dependence on fossil fuels is a
double-edged sword. Global warmingfi-omthe use of fossil fuels and the myriad of other climatic
changes associated with it may be a far greater penalty that the world as a whole cannot afford,'
Early sustainability efforts, spurred by the oil embargoes of the 1970's, attempted to
curtail the energy use of stmctures via efficient lighting and mechanical systems, insulation, and
reduction in the number of heat loss points such as windows and doors. Buildings soon became
more efficient in energy consumption. Unfortunately, artificial lighting became the primary
source of illumination and over-recycled air was the norm in many interior environments.
Complaints of building related illness and reduction in worker productivity was the resuhing
byproduct. The strategy to minimize air circulation between thefi-eshexterior and stale interior to
maximize HVAC savings has lead to the relatively recent phenomena of radon buildup and sick-
building syndrome.^
' John H. Gibbons, "Strategies for Energy Use, "Managing Planet Earth: Readings from Scientific American Magazine,
(New York: W.H. Freeman, 1990), 87.
" Ibid, 89.
' Stephen H. Schneider, "The Changing Climate," Managing Planet Earth: Readings from Scientific American Magazine.
(New York: W.H. Freeman, 1990), 25.
Figure 2-2 - Modern Times
* Laura C. ZLeiher, The Ecology of Architecture: A Complete Ouide to Creating the Environmentally Conscious Building.
(New York: Watson-GupUl, 1996), 117-120.
T^^
The concept of the sealed building dominated all areas of architectural design - from
commercial buildings, to institutional buildings, and even residences. Once this transition was
made, buildings became totally dependent on their mechanical systems,' Architecture isolated the
user from the natural environment.
The isolation of architecture from the environment extends beyond the foundation and
into the modifications of site through landscaping. Native flora and fauna are almost always
displaced with non-native vegetation, often limited to a fraction of the species once inhabiting the
site, eliminating numerous ecological niches in the process. While the presence of a single
building site in a niche is inconsequential, its cumulative effects can be devastating, A tragic
example is the plight of the California Condor an the efforts to save it. While the will may be
present by the public to preserve the species, no suitable environment exists for the bird to exist.
Architecture does not only affect the site but also beyond the site. Natural resources from
afar must be collected and processed before parts for constmction can be assembled. Furthermore,
when the building cannot be modified for reuse, through remodeling or additions, it must be tom
down and, if possible, recycled. Dozens of environments are affected in the constmction of a
single piece of architecture.
' Richard G. Stein, Architecture and Energy (New York: Doubleday, 1977), 50.

2.1 Architectural Issues - Thesis
James Wines, president of Sculpture in the Environment (SITE), architects and designers
in New York City, noted:
From the turn of the century to the 1930s, architects passionately believed there
was a direct equation between the combustion engine and a spiritual vision for
the design of sheher. Today, one only has to observe the bleak hostile
configuration of most cities to see how these ideals degenerated.. .*
The act of creating "big event" sculptural architecture that has no relation to the environment is
expensive from both material and energy resource standpoints. Furthermore, the existing energy
driven paradigm built into architecture for most of the 20* century has continuously raise demands
for more power.
The act of creating "big event" sculptural architecture that has no relation to the
envirormient is expensive fi-om both material and energy resource standpoints. Furthermore, the
existing energy driven paradigm built into architecture for most of the 20* century has
continuously raise demands for more power. However, the search for more fossil and nuclear
fiiels and pursuit of novel technological solutions such as fusion has lead humanity awayfi-omthe
simpler, cheaper, and more appropriate solutions found in solar and wind energy and air
conditioning resources. The same holds tme for constmction materials created outside a buildings
regional sphere.
An environmentally sensitive architecture seeks to rectify the contemporary
problems by creating a more honest and intelligent dialogue between structure,
site, and climate.
A environmentally sensitive architecture consists of very simple concepts often overlooked in this
modern "high-tech" world. It promotes increased sustainability in building, improved heakh of
the occupants, and a reduction in environmental impact of building towards the ecosystem by
' James Wines, "Architecture in the Age of Ecology," The Amicus Jounal. 15:2 (Summer 1993), 22.

2.1 Architectural Issues -Thesis
intelligently reconnecting architecture with the environment. The potential for high quality space
is reintroduced with nature removing the former sterility of the building and replacing it with life.
The concept of sustainable architecture has evolved over several decades. In his book
Sustainable Architecture: Principles, Paradigms, and Case Studies, James Steele attempted to
describe sustainability in contemporary terms.
Sustainability is evocative of optimistic and protective ideas, recalling

sustenance and, therefore, a nurturing, or at least good common sense. Linked
to it has been development, which implies its own set of desirable goals and
growth, sustainability's connotations are those building a solid fijture and
achieving prolonged, lasting worthwhile progress.^
However, the vision of a sustainable architecture varies from individual to individual. Pushing the
issue towards its extreme is a negative. Wendy Talareco notes, "clearly there are architects who
worry that positioning themselves as green will attract ecofanatics who desire back-country bomb
shelters built out of bizarre materials and powered by wind turbines."'"
The movement towards long-term sustainability in architecture is inevitable
even if the fantastic promise of energy sources such as fusion are achieved for the simple fact that
man is inherently connected to nature, as stated by Edward O. Wilson in his book, "The Biophilia
Hypothesis."" Humanity's connection with the natural environment should serve as the impetus
for sustainable design due to an inherent desire of the species to associate with it.
' James Steele, Sustainable Architecture: Prmciples, Paradigms, and Case Studies, (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997), ix,
'"Talarico, 51,
" Edward O. Wilson, The Biophilia Hypothesis(Washington D,C: Island Press, 1993), 31,

2.1 Architectural Issues - Thesis
James Steele notes that this paradigm shift in architectural design, fi-om a linear model
material and energy use to a sustainable model, is inevitable and notes:
Pushed not only by pundits and the press, sustainable architecture will also be
forced upon architects by an overwhelming confluence of ecological, social, and
economic forces unless architects reach out to embrace and take control of it
first,''
He also notes that "our concept of sophistication is changingfi-omsomething that is based on high
technology and materialism to accommodate the concept of sustainability or appropriateness,"
Paul Hawken has made similar conclusions pertaining to sustainability in his book, "The
Ecology of Commerce," and has listed eight primary objectives to achieve a sustainable world for
the 21^ century. The two objectives most important to architects in such a world are to "be self-
actuating as opposed to regulated or morally mandated" and to "be fun and engaging and strive for
an aesthetic outcome."'^
Modem problems are often created by the belief than humanity and its technology is
superior to nature. As humanity begins to mn out of solutions to solve crises concerning fossil
fuel depletion, global warming, and destmction of natural habitat in general, it must reconsider its
acrimonious relationship with nature and conduct a dialogue with it through design. An
environmentally sensitive architecture will to rectify the contemporary problems in building by
creating a more honest and intelligent dialogue between structure, site, and climate. The concept
of cheaper and better is possible if one is willing to talk.
'^ Steele, 234,
" Paul Hawken, The Ecology of Commerce. A Declaration of Sustainability. (New York: HarperCollins, 1993), xiv-xv.
I The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

2.2 Architectural Issues - Responses
Introduction
Sustainable design and the opening of an intelligent dialogue between architecture and
the environment blurs the theoretical issues of architecture with the contextual issues of the
environment. However, there are several major theoretical issues that context, generating major
architectural issues in the process. Many of these issues rely on the mechanisms of nature
themselves.
First, Architecture cannot isolate itself from the natural environment. It must interact with
it through controlled use of sun and wind.
Second, the connection between architecture and environment can be reinforced through
strategic placement of windows and rooms.
hi TIic LiviiiK Ldndiicape,
Next, the cyclical character of nature can further reinforce the users connection to the Frederick Steiner puahirs for
planning thai is huscJ on an under-
standing of Ote local ecology. Sleiner
natural environment through the Architecture. Lighting, temperature, and humidity do not have to u.<ies this 'layer-cake model." worked oul by
Mcllarg. to show the biological and geological
be constant 24 hours a day and seven days a week. factors that aflect o place over lime.
Finally, one must minimize the destmction of the "layer-cake relationships" of nature Figure 2-3 - Layer-cake Relationships
when creating architecture.''* Biodiversity is close to the heart of sustainability. The building and
site should preserve as many ecological niches as possible.
'•' Fredrick Steiner, The Living Landscape: An Ecological Approach to Landscape Planning, (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991), 80.
t The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbo

2.21 Energy Collection and Use
Initial notions on sustainability focused on the energy of a building use during the
occupancy phase of the building. The collection of solar and wind resources was a central tenant
to green architecture, letting nature do the work of the lighting and air conditioning of a building.
This collection of natural energy and ventilation resources should be the cornerstone architectural
issue of the wildlife center. u u u u \r
Issue:
Sustainability - Energy Efficiency
i
Figure 2-4 - Skylighting
Goals:
Improved energy efficiency in buildings should be achieved through the passive
interaction of stmcture with the environment.
Performance Requirements:
a) The facility will be naturally lighted during the day, from 9 am to 4pm, cutting use of
electrical lighting by at least 80 percent.
b) Solar heating will be used by the facility during winter months.
c) Predominant winds in the area will aid in building ventilation and cooling.
Figure 2-5 - Solar Heating
A
Figure 2-6 - Natural Ventilation/Cooling

2.22 Environmental Connections
The connection between architecture and the environment can be further reinforced by
the intelligent placement of windows in relation to the stmcture. The permits users opportunity to r-
^:P^
constantly relate to the external environmentfi-omwithin the building.
Issue:
Visual Connections to the Environment
i
L
°9
ii V
Figure 2-7 - Eye Level Connection to Nature
Goals:
All frequently used rooms should have a view of the outdoors to reinforce the positive
connection between the user, architecture, and nature.
a) All rooms will have a view of the external environment to some degree at eye level.
b) Public rooms such as the entry/reception area and gallery space will have a greater
connection to the environment in this manner.
c) A viewing platform on top of the facility will offer visitors a bird's eye view of the
D D
Public Spaces Private Spaces
surrounding environment.
Figure 2-7 - Public Connection to Nature
1 F ^ ^ ^ - ^ ^ •
Figure 2-9 - Elevated "Bird's Eye" Connection

2.23 The Cyclical Character of Nature
Nature operates in cycles. The Earth rotates once on its axis every 24 hours and orbits
the sun every 365.24 days, creating four seasons in the process. The celestial ballet between the
Earth, sun, and moon has defined natural processes since its genesis billions of years ago. All
animals, including humans, instinctively respond to these rhythms of sun and season.
Architecture, in dialogue with nature, follows these pattems through hourly changes in
daylighting during the day. However, these natural cycles can be further enforced by changes in Figure 2-10 - Day/Night Cycling
temperature and humidity within the internal environment, albeit within a specified comfort zone,
throughout the day and into year.
Issue:
Connections via Cyclical Rhythms of Nature. Summer
Goals:
Stmctures should be open in such a way that pattems, such as the daily rise and fall of
temperature, become apparent all through the entire 24-hour day to enhance the
connection to the external environment.
Performance Requirements: Figure 2-11 - Seasonal Shade and Sun

a) Rooms in the facility will be dependent of daylighting during the day and fluorescent
spotlighting at night to reinforce diurnal cycles of the exterior environment.
b) Furthermore, the building will respond to seasonal changes in weather by the
transformation shaded summer windows into winter solar heating systems.
c) Sections of the building will be dependent on "green" heating, within specified
comfort levels, to mimic exterior temperature fluctuations.
w
Figure 2-12 -Temperature Fluctuations
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocR

•7 Tj
Layer-Cake Relations
Architecture has a tendency to displace the natural environment through the presence of
the building and landscaping. Although the costs of displacing a little flora and fauna seems
insignificant for a single site, one only has to see the sprawl of Southern California and the plight
of the California Condor to see the effect of its cumulative damage, as mentioned earlier.
Fig 2-13 - Layer-Cake Design to Reduce Area
A variety of solutions are available to preserve the number of native niches on a building
site. These strategies involve both building and site.
Issue:
Environmental Impact of Building
Goals:
Architecture should enhance its discourse with nature by preserving and/or creating
native ecological niches on the site. Typical Future Landscape - Nonnative Species
a) The building will physically have at least three levels in places, reducing the amount
of land it will occupy, creating a "layer-cake" of human activity in the process.
\ A K 0 .. Q AAAA
Future Wildscape -- Native/Non-Native
Native/Non-Native Mix
Mix
-uture Wildscape
b) The site will use "wildscaping" to naturally enhance the surrounding landscape with Fig 2-14 - Wildscaping
native flora and fauna.''
c) Trees will be used to line surrounding access roads and parking lots to cool the
asphalt and create niches at the same time.
Fig 2-15 - Trees and Asphalt
Noreen Damude, "Wildlife Gardening," Information Kit: Texas Wildscapes, Backyard Wildlife Habitat, (Austin; Texas
Parks and Wildlife, 1994), 16.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocK

2.3 Architectural Issues - Case Studies
Introduction
Since the 1970s, muhiple facilities have been built to demonstrate how buildings can
become more ecologically sensitive throughout the United States. These stmctures were built to
respond to and take advantage of lighting and ventilation sources offered by the natural
environment
Some of these buildings look further into the future, towards stmctures that are totally
sustainable, in theory. They consist of stmctures built from materials from and recycled from
within the region. These buildings emphasize the conservation of water resources and the
conscious avoidance of fossil fuel use.

2.Ji MaxPot Demonstration Home - Austin, Texas w
The Maximum Potential Building Systems (MaxPot) Demonstration Home was built as
an experiment to create a totally sustainable building that actually works. The $250,000 two room
facility, created by Pliny Fisk, is not an exercise of "state-of-the-art," but a study in the appropriate
use of new technologies and old techniques.
The building itself is more of a two-room office with portable kitchen facilities than a
house. Positioned to take advantage of predominant summer breezes, it is designed to be naturally
cooled from the hot central Texas summers by shading, convection currents, and straw-filled
insulated walls.
It collects and stores rainwater as its primary water supply and uses solar paneling to
power equipment mnning the facility and the office equipment within. ffratatd ftow ptan l««('t wp'v
Fig 2-16 - MaxPot Demonstration Home Plan

Special emphasis has been placed in the use of regional and recycled materials. The
building is framed using recycled metal rebars. Its foundation consists of fly ash and caliche
based concrete. Insulative materials consist of regionally collected straw and soil.
The building itself serves as a useable office space that can safely protect sensitive
computer equipment and drawings from the elements. It has an overall tent-like feeling in which
the user never loses touch with the outdoors, yet one is protected from heat, wind, and rain.
Collection of solar, wind, and water resources are innovative and elegant. The placement
and presentation of water tanks and the entry of the facility is particularly clever.
The materials used for constmction are both cutting edge and a throwback to earlier
times. It a combination of new discovery and old rediscovery that is expensive to create, however,
such innovations will lead to ecologically better and cheaper products in the near fiiture. Such
techniques and technologies can be easily incorporated into the stmcture of the Wildlife Center.
Fig 2-17 - MaxPot Demonstration Home
' Michael Halsam, "Desert Bloom," Architectural Review, 202:1205. (Jul 1997), 54.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubb

2.M Westvaco Forest Science Lab - Summerville, SC
The Westvaco Science Facility is a corporate laboratory dedicated in the reforestation of
lands for the production of sustainable commercial lumber The facility is buih on a 25-acre site
that is heavily wooded, reflecting its primary objective in the process. It is designed to take
opportunities in natural lighting and ventilation offered by the environment.
The long one-level stmcture is oriented to take advantage of the sun. Solar collectors and
greenhouses line the south side to gather light for hot water production and promotion of plant
growth. In addition to southern lighting. Light scoops in the northern end collect northern lighting
for laboratory use.
Natural ventilation in a mral setting is often a benefit to both human and plant life
existing within the laboratory. Furthermore, this ventilation is critical when highly toxic
Figure 2-18 - Westvaco Southern Greenhouse
chemicals are present for genetic research. A series of courtyards have been integrated into the
core of the facility, enforcing access to the natural environment in the process.
Q03
' ^ • ' <

ort^^,
"r^tr PCiM,ti
& . f^
wmm ! ' '.J - - ^
JL Figure 2-19 - Westvaco Northern Exterior
IF o"
'n"n I*
p^^r
*»]
Li.
1 r
II-
J
r wit U— _ r il, ,
:!Z5ui:s]
Figure 2-20 - Westvaco Site Plan/Plan
"Research Center Repeatedly Penetrated by Nature," Architecture: the AIA Joumal, 73:12 P e c 1984), 68.

2.4 Architectural Issues - References
"A Research Center Repeatedly Penetrated by Nature." Architecture: the AIA Joumal. 73 12 (Dec
1984), 68.
Damude, Noreen. "Wildlife Gardening." Information Kit: Texas Wildscapes, Backyard Wildlife
Habitat. Austin: Texas Parks and Wildlife, 1994.
Gibbons, John H. "Strategies for Energy Use." Managing Planet Earth: Readings from
Scientific American Magazine. New York: W.H. Freeman, 1990.
Haslam, Michael. "Desert Bloom." Architectural Review. 202:1205 (Jul 1997).
Hawken, Paul. The Ecology of Commerce. A Declaration of Sustainability. New York:

HarperCollins, 1993.
Schneider, Stephen H.. "The Changing Climate." Managing Planet Earth: Readings from
Scientific American Magazine. New York: W.H. Freeman, 1990.
Steele , James. Sustainable Architecture: Principles, Paradigms, and Case Studies. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1997..
Stein, Richard. Architecture and Energy. New York: Doubleday, 1977.
Steiner, Fredrick. 77?^ Living Landscape: An Ecological Approach to Landscape Planning. New
York: McGraw-Hill, 1991.
Talarico, Wendy. "The Nature of Green Architecture." Architectural Record. (April 1998): 149.
Wilson, Edward O. The Biophilia Hypothesis. Washington D.C.: Island Press, 1993.
Wines, James. "Architecture in the Age of Ecology," The Amicus Jounal. 15:2 (Summer 1993).
Yeang, Ken. Designing with Nature: The Ecological Basis for Ecological De.sign. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1995.
Zeiber, Laura C. The Ecology of Architecture: A Complete Guide to Creating the

Environmentally Conscious Building New York: Watson-Gupill, 1996.

3.0 Contextual Issues - Goals and Objectives
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock, located in the heart of the South Plains of
Texas, should be a stmcture that interacts with its site and context on both the local and regional
scale. Site, climate, and a variety of other contextual issues, consisting of the technology, ecology,
history, and culture, will be addressed by the facility.
The primary contextual goal of the wildlife rehabilitation facility is the integration and
interaction of architecture with its surrounding context. An inherent synergy between stmcture,
site, and climate occurs when ecologically sensitive techniques are applied. However, this
interaction between the building and natural environment may be fiirther enhanced when the
technological context of building is explored Furthermore, the interaction between the building
and site may be fiarther enhanced to the local and regional levels with a fiirther understanding of
the history and ecology of the area.
Fig 3-1 - Lubbock and the South Plains
Fig 3-2 - The Lubbock Skyline - An Illustration
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center or LUDDOCK

3.1 Contextual Issues - Site
Lubbock is the hub to the South Plains region of Texas. Set in what the Spainards called
the Llano Estacado, or "staked plains," the region is known for its monotonous flatness and
semiarid conditions. Incorporated in 1909, the township, boosted by the presence of Texas Tech
University, cotton, and industry, has grown into a metropolitan area of over 234,000."*
The site chosen for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock lies east of the
Lubbock Lake Landmark, at the northern end of the shallow canyon 25-feet deep. Trees line the
southern end of the site, shielding it from views of the Loop 289 highway and industrial sections
of the city. The Burl Huffman Athletic Complex, a place for baseball and soccer activities, lies
north of the site. Fig 3-3 - Lubbock, Texas
Soil studies indicate that the site consists of stable well-drained Estacado and Potter clay
loam soils suitable for construction of small to mid-sized multiple story stmctures with basements, |Lutd>ock Burl Huffman
Late Athletic Complex
similar in scope to that of the project.'^ However, the Bippus clay loam soil at bottom of the i Landmark
canyon is unsuitable for building constmction due to occasional flooding and the possible
presence of archeological artifacts, due to the proximity of the Lubbock Lake Site finds.
Fig 3-4 - Project Location
'^-Lubbock", Microsoft Encarta 99, 1998.

'' Soil Survey, Lubbock, Texas, 1975, 75.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation vêmer ot L.UUUUC^

3.2 Contextual Issues - Climate
Climate
The wildlife rehabilitation facility is located within the semi-arid region of the United
States known as the Great Plains, more specifically the South Plains of Texas. This wind-swept
land possesses a climate consisting of hot summers and mild winters. It is prone to extremes in
weather from short but violent rainstorms to gusty cold snaps.
Temperatures vary from an average minimum of 25.4 degrees (Fahrenheit) in January to
and average maximum of 92.1 degrees in July. Temperatures fall below 32 degrees 86 times year
and go over 90 degrees 74 times on average. ^°
It semi-arid conditions limits the land to only 18.82" of rain per year. During the winter Jen Feb Mar
Month
Apr f * y Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
an average 10.4" inches of snow falls onto the ground.

Fig 3-5 - Temperature (Monthly Hi-Low-Avg)
The presence of the sun dominates the region on most days. The prevailing winds also
are quite consistent. In the winter they come primarily from the southwest at 15 mph. During the
summer, winds predominantly come in from the south, averaging 13 mph. Humidity is quite low
y \ ^^.
quite often. The climatological features of this region are textbook ingredients that make green
architecture appealing and most practical for the region.
/ \
Effects from the canyon microclimate should be minimal due to its shallowness and lack I \
of water. However, trees on the southern edge of the site may break winds approaching from the M
nche
|-»-Avg|
south to south east.
3
Jan Feb Mar Apr fAy Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
Fig 3-6 - Rainfall (Monthly Avg)
20
Alfred N. Garwood, ed.. Weather America, (Milpitas, CA: Toucan Valley, 1996), 1183.

3.3 Contextual Issues - Responses
3.31 Technology - Active Solar and Wind Technologies
Passive solar and ventilation techniques allow an interaction between architecture and
nature by promoting the natural lighting and air conditioning of buildings. However, it does not
take into account the advantages of plumbing and electrical systems of the modem age. Active
systems should be used to fiirther enhance the sustainability of the building allowing the building
to respond to changes
Issue: Figure 3-7 - Computer Control

Technology
Goals:
Active solar and wind technologies should be applied to enhance building interaction
with the surrounding environment, generating power and hot water in the process.
a) Solar collectors will be used to heat water for the facility.
b) Solar panels will be used to provide electricity to various components in the facility.
c) Computer technology will be used to control and coordinate environmental systems in
the building. Figure 3-8 - Computer Control
Active Solar
\ \ \ And Ventilation
I
l ^ ^ *
AC/Heating
I Irti+o
|0100010101110001011
Figure 3-9 - Computer Control

3.3 Contextual Issues - History
3.32 Lubbock Lake Landmark
The city of Lubbock was established in 1909, however, humans have inhabited the area
surrounding the city for over 11,500 years.^' What made such long-term existence possible in the
Lubbock area was a spring fed lake at the northern end of the city, within a shallow canyon
crossing the area known as Yellowhouse Draw. The lake, now an archeological treasure trove
known as the Lubbock Lake Landmark, lies at the northern end of the Yellowhouse Canyon Park
chain that crosses through Lubbock This rich history concerning the native and pre-historic
people of the region should be reflected in the architecture.
Early inhabitants of the region were closely tied to the animals and environment of the
region. Their lives, while simple, were sustainable due to the limited resources of the region, from Figure 3-10 -Visual Connections
mammoths to buffalo. The landmark can provide a valuable "bigger picture" of the relationship
between humans of the past and nature for the wildlife facility.
Issue:
Lubbock Lake Landmark
Goals:
The rehabilitation center facility should create a symbiotic relationship with the Lubbock
Lake Landmark facility in a symbolic and literal sense, enhancing both facilities in the
process.
a) The buildings will be visually connected to each other from the standpoint of the visitor. Figure 3-11 - Short Walking Path
b) The buildings will be within a 500-ft walking distance from each other
c) Light tent-like structures will be used at the facility to reflect the structures used by some
of the native peoples that once inhabited the landmark.
" [Susan Shore], The Lubbock Lake Landmark, 11 Oct 1997, <http://www.ttu.edu/~museiim/lliyabouthtml>
Figure 3-12 - Symbolic Landmark Reference
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbucK

3.3 Contextual Issues - Ecology
3.33 Agriculture and the Rural Environment
Two words, rural and agricultural, can most accurately describe the South Plains region
of Texas. The economic base of the region has always been dependent on agriculture, with some
ranching and oil pumping to the side.
In many ways this region is not naive about the benefits of conservation. Hundreds of
thousands of acres have been reserved throughout the area for conservation purposes.^^ These •
private and public reserves, such as the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refiige promote native flora
Figure 3-13 - Playas in the Facility
and fauna.
Many of these sanctuaries are centered around the playa lakes that dot the region. These
fragile reservoirs serve as precious oases for wildlife indigenous to the region and to migrating.
These existing relationships should be brought to light by the facility.
Issue:
Ecology of Region
Goals:
The regional relationships of agriculture, ecology, and the playa should be emphasized by
the facility through programs, exhibits, and site design.
a) Small shallow water elements representing playas will be placed in and around the
facility.
b) Native flora from wildlife refiages will be transplanted onto the site.
22
Richard C. Bartlett, Saving the Best of Texas, (Austin: Umv. of Texas Press, 1995), 83.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LUUOOCK

3.4 Contextual Issues - Case Studies
3.41 Rio Grande Nature Center - Albuquerque, New Mexico
Buih within the city of Albuquerque, this facility is designed to relate with its
surrounding context. "In its broadest sense, the Nature Center marks the conjunction of a variety
of scales and acts as an 'interface' for its users." ^
While the primary material of concrete is completely at odds with the natural context, its
architectural form helps the facility blend into its surroundings. It is an educational facility that
acts like a "tent blind" hidden within the existing foliage so that observers can comfortably
observe the natural environment, a marshland pond by the Rio Grande, with minimum visual and Figure 3-14 - Viewing Nature
ecological disruption.
LOAOtNCj
Figure 3-15 - Southeast View of Building
t o TRAILS'
/ •
* V1EWVC r^~^
PLAAfnEDBERM CULVERT
AT SOUTH SIDE ENTRY
N^ H -^20'/6m GtHBTTB HTBmET VCWS
Figure 3-17 - Building Plan Figure 3-16 - Building Connections
23
Peter C. Papademetriou, "Blind Trust," Progressive Architecture (Mar 1984), p 86-90.

3.5 Contextual Issues - References
5o/7 ^M/T'e'>'- Lubbock, Texas. 1975.
Bartlett, Richard C. Saving the Best of Texas, Austin: Univ. of Texas Press, 1995
Garwood, Alfred N. ed. Weather America Milpitas, CA: Toucan Valley, 1996
Papademetriou, Peter C "Blind Trust: Rio Grande Nature Center and Preserve, Albuquerque,
l^.M." Progressive Architecti4re. 65:3 (Mar 1990).
Steele, James. Sustainable Architecture: Principles, Paradigms, and Case Studies. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1997
[Susan Shore], The Lubbock Lake Landmark, 27 Oct 1997, <http://vvrvvw.ttu.edu/~museumy

lll/about.html>

4.0 Facility Issues - Mission Statement
The objective of the project is to create a wildlife rehabilitation center for the purpose of providing
sanctuary for injured animals of the South Plains region of Texas and a place to educate the public
about wildlife and the environment within a natural setting.
Figure 4-1 - Canadian Goose
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center <^f Lubbock

4.1 Facility Issues-Analysis
4.11 Goals and Objectives
As the urban and suburban environment incessantly encroaches on the natural
environment, the frequency of encounters between humans and wildlife will increase Injuries
will occur to wild birds and mammals at these intersections of the human construct and the natural
realm.
Wildlife rehabilitation facilities seek to correct the unnatural injuries inflicted onto wild
fauna by the human environment, providing safe refrige from hostile elements from both
environments. It is a process that will reintroduce flilly fiinctional wildlife into the wild.^"*
Furthermore, they often seek to educate the public about these creatures and the environment they
live in to ultimately make the human environment more hospitable to the displaced wild. It is a
"moral and ethical obligation." ^^
^' Mark Pokras, 'hitroduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation," NWRA Principles of Wildlife Rehabilitation, (St. Cloud, MN: NWRA,
1997), 7.
" SaUy Joosten, "Why Educate?" NWRA Principles of Wildlife Rehabilitation, (St. Cloud, MN: NWRA, 1997), 479.

4.1 Facility - Analysis
4.12 Epistemology - From Menagenes to Zoos to Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities
Menageries, private collections of animals, have been around since the rise of early
civilizations Collections of rare, exotic, and often dangerous species have been recorded since
2300 B.C in the Sumerian city of Ur,^^ The Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans all had
menageries of some form or another. By the late IS"" century, formal collections of animals
arrived in the New World through New York.
While exotic species were of interest to all levels of society through permanent
menageries and travelling circuses throughout the 19* century, they served no more profitable
than entertainment for the public.
Through advancement and growing interest in the biological sciences, particularly in Figure 4-2 - Menagerie, 19"^ century
zoology, changes began to occur during the latter part of the 18 century. Zoological parks were
created in large urban areas to formally present their various specimens. Small cages evolved into
educational exhibits that simulated native habitats. Immersion exhibits, created in the 1970's,
^
finally allowed the observer to enter the habitat of the species of display.^^
Zoos quickly evolved from mere entertainment exhibitions into education centers
throughout most of the 20''' century. The destruction of wildlife habitat and the increasing amount
of endangered species has thrust a new and more urgent purpose to these facilities, that of
conservation Zoos have transformed from consumers of wildlife into experts in preservation.
Many have become genetic playas preserving very rare species from the brink of extinction.
Education of individual animals has given way the education of ecosystems.
Figure 4-3 - Immersive Gorilla Exhibit, Atlanta

Zoo
^' Linda Koebner, Zoo Book: The Evolution of Wildlife Conservation Centers (New York: Forge Press, 1994), 55.
^'Koel»ier,73.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of i nhborW

4.12 Epistemology - From Menageries to Zoos to Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities
Wildlife rehabilitation centers are essentially the distilled essence of zoos, focusing on
rehabilitation of injured wildlife. Rehabilitation is broad scope, covering the physical and
fiinctional well being of the animal.
Wildlife rehabilitation involves caring for injured, ill and orphaned wild animals
with the goal of releasing each into its natural habitat. Each animal is examined,
diagnosed and treated through an individually tailored program of veterinary
care, hospital care, feeding, medicating, physical therapy, exercising and pre-
release conditioning. Releases are planned for appropriate weather, season,
habitat and location. Some animals, of course, are beyond help when found and
are humanely euthanized. Unreleasable animals occasionally provide valuable
research information or are suitable as educational aids 28 Figure 4-4 - Evolution of Facility
There is a second critical component to wildlife rehabilitation, education. Like zoos,

rehabilitation centers provide an excellent opportunity for the public to encounter wild creatures
and learn about them and their natural habitat. It is not only a logical thing to do, but an ethical
thing.
^ [Ronda DeVold,], What is Wildlife Rehabilitation. (18 Jul. 1996) <http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/mstruct/devold/

twnd/html/w_is_re. htin>.

rii
4.14 Facility Organization and Layout
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock will have both rehabilitation and
education facilities on site. One can look at the facility as the distilled heart of a zoo, but one can
also look at it as the combination of two incompatible building types: the animal hospital and
school. The public ftinction of education often conflicts with the more private ftinction of
rehabilitation. The innocent and inquisitive public can easily add stress to the injured animal
ah-eady in distress. One must always remember that the animals treated in the facility are still
wild.
The facility as a whole should be divided into two sections: a public area for educational
purposes and a private area for rehabilitation services. These two sections should be physically
split apart by either space or by an administrative area, interconnecting the sections in the process.
The rehabilitation wing, the heart and soul of the facility, should consist of recovery,
rehabilitation, and storage areas. It is the largest section of the facility.
The administrative area consists of the entry, office, kitchen, and medical areas of the
facility. It is a place to coordinate staff and volunteers, conduct business, treat seriously injured
animals, and prepare food for the wildlife at the facility. A path of recovery is created for the
patient from entry, through the medical care room, intensive care, recovery, and rehabilitation
area. Figure 4-5 - Facility Layout
The education wing consists of classroom and gallery space. While not designed for
classes larger than 60 students, it is a place to interact and teach smaller groups of community,
staff, and volunteers. It can also be used for meetings and fiind-raisers.
One must also note that the caseload at the existing South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation
Center has grown four-fold during its ten-year existence. Expansion of the facility, especially in
the rehabilitation section of the facility, is inevitable, and should be planned into the design.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of I nbhock

4.2 Facility Issues - Case Studies
Introduction
Two facilities are of interest in this program. The first is the existing South Plains
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center located in Lubbock, Texas, established on a small 1.6-acre farm in
1988. The second facility, the RSPCA Wildlife Hospital in East Winch, Norfolk, UK, is a larger
institution based in Great Britain, completed in 1993.
Since much of the design of rehabilitation centers are based on specific regional needs, a
study of the existing South Plains wildlife facility was done to gather information on the existing
facility, the patient load, the layout, and its environmental setting.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubb

4.21 South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Lubbock, Texas
The South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to

the treatment of wildlife and reintroduction back into the wild. Created in 1988 by present
director Carol Mitchell, this 1.6-acre facility has seen a four-fold influx of animals from 1988 to
1998, from 250 animals per year to 1,000.
The present facility, previously used to raise horses and racing pigeons, consists of a
main house, guest quarters, a 3-level barn, and three sheds.
A facility manager resides in the main house so that the facility can be, theoretically,
supervised 24 hours a day. About 600 sq. ft of the house is dedicated to rehabilitation ftinction.
Within this area are an incubation room, kitchen, restroom, and intensive care area. Surgeries for
seriously injured animals are done offsite at a local veterinary clinic.
The barn on site is main rehabilitation building for birds. The three level wood structure
Figure 4-6 - SPWRC Barn
houses a variety of birds and mammals. Two sheds, A and B, are also dedicated to this fijnction
with a third dedicated to storage. A variety of caged enclosures dot the site.
During the facility's first ten years of existence, its site was sandwiched between a
residential area to the north and agricultural land to the south. Unfortunately, the facility became
—
rn 1 Storage | A B
surrounded by development by 1988 with the introduction of a church facility on its southern
House/Kitchen/
border. Incubation/ICU Bam
Figure 4-7 - SPWRC Layout
' Carol Mitchell, uiter\aew by author, Lubbock, Texas, 15 Oct 1998.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Luhbnck

mmtam
1

4.21 South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Lubbock, Texas
A variety of animals pass through the facility during the year. Injured birds of prey,
raptors, are the most prominent creatures that visit the center. However, there is a mixture of
pigeons, doves, and other smaller birds at the facility, ft also is capable of treating a variety of
mammals such as infant squirrels and adolescent deer as well as reptiles.
Most animals at the facility recover within a few months. They are allowed to stay at the
facility for a maximum duration of six month by law before permits are required by the state.
However, due to the constant ebb and flow of activity at the facility, this is not often a problem.
Activity does vary during the year and is based on seasonal reproductive and migratory
pattems. Spring and summer are obviously the busiest seasons, while winter and fall are the
"slow" periods. With such variations facility flexibility is a must.
Facility Space Area (GSF)
Office Area
Office (Vot on site"> 150
Medical/Incubation/Recovery/Kitchen 800
Total Administrative 950
Rehabilitation Area
Shed A (Storage) 1800
Shed B (Rehab) 500
Shed C (Rehab) 500
Barn '^Re'^-^^) 3200
Total Rehabilitation 6000
Educational Area
None 0
Total Educational 0
Total 6950
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of 1 iihhork .._.__^^„,^^Î^^^^^^Bn

ai
4.22 RSPCA Wildlife Hospital - East Winch, Norfolk, UK
The main facility of Royal Society for the Prevenfion of Cruelty to Animals, RSPCA, in
Norfolk, England, was buih to provide care for seabirds and aquatic mammals of the North Sea.
Set among various recovery paddocks and aviaries, the 13,900 sq. ft facility consists of six bams
surrounding a central courtyard rehabilitation pool area. Within this building complex are
facilities that serve animals, visitors, and staff alike.
itdH CiS'Ti^^f 'juaMers

KEY
f j V Sitors Route
lOm
tA-,; _J [ j mteoncdiar/ C*e Ptxvs - & pSdrt)
PAIIT FWST a O O I l P U W [ j Veternar^ Hosc<tdl' & gefwfaJ a f e « .
( ] it\Uî'.t,t^ t .Iff*
MMh]v% MeMdK cofndDr

--^fmmi
» a « treatment posifnorfrm
ijKdtest
pool
WH«BIUTATION
foodpref) ~1 i—T"! h
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/'/ r^^^^TT^^ V
ta«MIP'
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VSTOHS CEN70E
^•Ml "v
SOOUNO a O O I I PIAM
.1 -VavembcT IV*.<
Figure 4-8 - RSPCA Main Facility Plan Figure 4-9 - RSPCA Seal Pool
^ Ruth Slavid, and others, "Designing for Wild-Animal Welfare," Architect's Joumal. 198:17 (3 Nov 1993): 35.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock •Eâwygcimiaf

7T
4.22 RSPCA Wildlife Hospital - East Winch, Norfolk, UK
Bam A serves as the pubic entry and visitor's area for the facility. It is roughly 2350 sq.
ft and is connected to bam B and the courtyard rehabilitation pool area. Within the structure are ;f. ' — —
display and gallery space for the public as well as a reception area, office, and workshop. The * t
î - --
barn also serves as an anchor for a perimeter-viewing corridor that allows public access to barns B
!
and C. i/
/-
Bam B contains staff and cleaning elements of the facility. The two level, 2000 sq. ft. D ;p3 s"".;
building contains important areas such as meeting rooms, staff ovemight quarters, and laundry. jr' 0
0
•0
Bam C, 2950 sq. ft, serves as the intermediary care space for seals. It also contains water ^ D jfe V.'" ^'fl'L^'- — - '
^ . .
treatment, plant, and post mortem facilities. " V "^* - .^^^
The core veterinary hospital lies within barns D and E. With a combined area of 5850 sq.
Figure 4-10 - RSPCA Facility Layout
ft, the two bams serve as a capable tool that can provide care to over 3000 birds and mammals of a
variety of species over the course of a year. Within this space are medical treatment, kitchen,
staff, and intensive care facilities.
Bam F, the smallest of the barns at 425 sq ft, contains the water treatment facilities for
the courtyard rehabilitation pools.
Figure 4-11 - RSPCA Bam B
" Ruth Slavid, and others, "Designing for Wild-Animal Welfare," Architect's Joumal 198:17 (3 Nov 1993): **-**.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of I ubbock Jr/AtCTfJMraii.M'Wil

4.3 Facility Issues - Responses
4.31 Green Design - Architecture and Nature
The architectural and contextual issues surrounding the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of
Lubbock focus on the attempt to create a dialogue between architecture and nature through
sustainable design. The rehabilitation center creates an excellent opportunity to create this
dialogue since there is a vested interest between the wild patients, stmcture, healing, and nature.
The design of the facility should be inherently "green" due to its mission to save wild Figure 4-9 - Administration: Full Air
animals in a human environment. However, to provide a proper medical environment to work on Conditioning
animals and to enhance the healing process, a variety of spaces are needed varying in degree of
"greenness."
^ AC
Issue: w
Sustainability within the facility Figure 4-10 - Education Wing and Recovery
Areas/Rehabilitation Wing:Partial
Goal: Air Conditioning
Appropriate levels of sustainability should be considered at all areas of the facility to
maximize comfort, convenience and economy.
a) The office, medical, and kitchen areas of the facility will be mechanically air conditioned
due to the constant level of use and critical missions.
b) The education wing and recovery area in the rehabilitation wing will be dependent on Figure 4-11 - Rehabilitation Area/Rehabilitation
"green" design. However, mechanical assistance will be delivered if temperature rises or Wing; Open to External Environ-
falls between 85° and 60°F. ment
c) The rehabilitation area of the facility will be open to the environment to re-acclimate pre-
release animal patients.
•N
4.3 Facility Issues - Critical Functional Issues
4.32 Circulation
The circulation of the wildlife, facility workers, and animals is a major issue for the Classroom
participants at the facility. The movement of all three groups must be coordinated by good facility Wing
design
Administration
Issue:
Circulation
Figure 4-12 -y^ldlife Circulation
Goal:
Circulation pattems for staff, volunteers, wild patients, and the public should be clearly
established.
Classroom
Wing
a) Wildlife will follow a linear "path of healing" when going through the facility.
b) Circulation for staff and volunteers will be optimized within and between the
administrative and rehabilitation wing.
c) Circulation for visitors will be primarily a gallery and classroom tour that can be self-
guided. Figure 4-16 - StaffA/olunteer Circulation
d) The entry/reception area will serve as the hub for the facility.
ao
Classroom Rehabilitation
Wing Wing
Administration
Figure 4-17 - Public Circulation
Classroom Rehabilitation
Wing Wing
Administration
Figure 4-18 - Entry Hub
^
4.3 Facility Issues - Critical Functional Issues
4.33 Privacy/Security
Privacy and security are two important, related, and legitimate concerns of the Wildlife
Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock. While the facility itself is set in a relatively isolated portion of
the city, its close proximity to the Buri Huffman Athletic Complex, a possible generator of visitors
t
to the facility, presents problems with privacy and security due to the traffic, crowds, and the
potential miscreants within.
Wildlife, injured but still quite sensitive to negative extemal stimuli from the external
Figure 4-19 - Courtyard Privacy
environment, should recover in privacy and security
Rehabilitation
Issue:
Privacy and security
Goal: Administration/
Facility design should isolate recovering wildlife from negative extemal stimuli, creating Education Wing
a positive healing environment in the process.
Athletic Complex
a) The stmctures within rehabilitation area will be facing inward into the facility forming a
series of courtyard spaces in the process. Figure 4-20 - Administrative/Educational
Wall
b) The administrative and educational wing will serve as a barrier between the athletic
complex and rehabilitation area.
c) Two layers of fencing will prevent trespassers from entering the facilhy and animals from
wandering out.
d) Trees around the perimeter of the facility will enforce the separation from the athletic
facility.
Figure 4-21 - Fencing Barrier
Figure 4-22 - Tree Barrier

4.4 Facility Issues - User Issues
4.41 Administration - Introduction
The rehabilitation of wildlife and education of the public are the two primary missions of
the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock. However, proper coordination is required in a
facility this size to insure a minimal amount of problems in its operation.
Wildlife rehabilitation centers often evolve from simple diversions into complicated
operations. An administration area can be a place that can directly coordinate the rehabilatory and
educational aspects of medium to large sized facilities as well as the more mundane tasks of
everyday business and fiandraising functions.
Since these facilities will be in constant use and contain critical areas, intensive care and
incubation, the green design of the building will be supplemented with additional heating, air
conditioning, and lighting equipment.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock silSiSi
S£\
4.411 Administration - Entry/Reception
The entry into the wildlife rehabilitation facility serves a dual purpose for visitors. First, rrywtio^r-e
Nature
it acts as an open invitation to the public to enter and explore what is done at the facility. Second,
it also acts as a most obvious emergency entrance for those persons bringing in injured wildlife
into the facility for medical treatment.
Figure 4-23 - Entry as Transition Space
Issue:
Entry/Reception Area
Goals:
The space should serve as a secured transition hub that gradually eases the user entering
from extemal environment and into various interior facility areas.
a) The area will have large windows, skylighting, and a veranda style space to clearly ^ -
reinforce a connection and transition from the building to the environment.
b) The area will serve as a hub to the rest of the facility.
c) The reception area will serve as guidance and security to and from the public. Figure 4-24 - Entry as Transition Facility Hub
Space Requirements
400 sq. ft - Entry Space, 100 sq. ft - Reception Entry/
Reception 1
Equipment
Desk, chair(s), computer, and display cases. T *^
Adjacency Requirements: :
The Entry/Reception area will be connected to the office and medical area of Rehabilitation T
administration, the gallery of the education wing, and the recovery area of the Wing Education
rehabilitation wing. Wing
^^
Offices
Figure 4-25 - Entry/Reception Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock ••ryt-aw-CHwragtaiii

4.412 Administration - Office Spaces
The office area behind reception consists of small rooms designed to tend to the daily
business of the facility. They include spaces reserved for: the director, manager, medical, and
educational services.
Issue:
Office Area
Goals:
An office area should provide a synergistic place that includes spaces to conduct general Figure 4-26 - Green Office Spaces
business, planning/promotion, educational, and medical activities at the facility v^/ Windows to Environment
a) Administrative offices will be naturally lit by skylighting.
b) These offices will have windows to connect users to the extemal environment.
c) These rooms will be visually connected their related areas of concern.
Spatial Requirements
120x4 = 480 sq. ft - Office Space (4) Figure 4-27 - Visual Connections
Equipment
Desk, chairs, computers, filing cabinets. Entry/Reception
Adjacency:
The office area will be adjacent to entry/reception, medical, kitchen, and educational
areas of the facility.
Offices
Kitchen
Figure 4-28 - Office Adjacency
-T-!W«!|^»«,
4.413 Administration - Lounge
In close proximity to the office area is the lounge area. Within this space should contain
comfortable seating, a TV, a kitchenette, and other items that allow staff members and volunteers
to relax and interact with each other.
Issue:
Lounge
Figure 4-29 - A Gathering Place for Staff
Goals:
The lounge area should be a space that is always open for staff members and volunteers.
a) The lounge area will be the central gathering place for staff.
b) The area will serve as a flexible space for eating, sleeping, and other activities.
c) Niche spaces will accommodate incompatible activities.
Figure 4-30 - Multipurpose Space
400 sq. ft
Equipment
Couches, tables, TV, refrigerator, microwave oven, sink.
Adjacency:
The space should be located in close proximity to the office area.
Figure 4-31 - Activity Niches
Offices 1
Lounge
Figure 4-32 - Lounge Adjacency

4.414 Administration - Medical Area
The medical services at the facility are elementary, but they serve as the commencement X-Ray
Medical
of a joumey of healing for most wildlife entering the facility. All incoming animals will first be
examined in this area. It will be dedicated to the operation of minor injuries of wild patients and Lab
to the storage and administration dmgs. Space for an X-ray room, lab, and morgue will also be
provided. Morgue
t
Issue:
Medical Area
Figure 4-33 - Medical Layout
Goals:
A small room should be provided for minor operations, tests, and administration of dmgs.
&\
a) The room will contain ample shelving for medical supplies and books.
b) Skylighting will be the method used for daylighting since wall space is a premium.
c) The room will be easy to clean for operating procedures.
Spatial Requirements Figure 4-34 - Storage and Skylighting

500 sq. ft
Equipment
Desk, computer, cabinets, examination/surgery table, refrigerator, freezer, sinks, X-ray Offices
equipment.
Adjacency:
The medical area will be adjacent to offices and the intensive care unit of the facility.
I
Medical Area
I
Intensive Care/
Incubation Area
Figure 4-35 - Medical Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center OT LUDDOCK

4.415 Administration - Intensive Care/Incubation Units
Two rooms shall be dedicated to intensive care and incubation services offered by the
facility. These services, requiring the constant attention by staff and volunteers, consists of
checkups and feedings for animals in this area at all hours.
Issue:
IL
Figure 4-36 - Evening Spotlighting
ICUAncubation Area
Goals: Intensive Care Incubation
A room should be provided for the close monitoring of wild patients in early recovery
and infant wildlife under the care of the facility. a
Performance Requirements: m
a) Soft spot-lighting should be provided at night to prevent irritation of resting animals.
b) Space for a variety of incubation boxes and enclosures should be provided for a variety of
species, from infant, in the incubation room, to adults, in the ICU.
D
c) The room will be placed within the administrative area to allow constant access by staff. Figure 4-37 - ICU/lncubatlon Area
800 sq. ft - Intensive Care Unit, 240 sq. ft - Incubation Room
Medical
Equipment Kitchen
tt
Enclosures, Incubation chambers, portable partition walls, sink
Adjacency:
The ICU/Incubation area should be adjacent to the medical, kitchen, and recovery area of Incubation/
the rehabilitation wing of the facility. Intensive Care
Recovery
t
Figure 4-38 - ICU/lncubatlon Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ot S_UUDOCK

4.416 Administration - Kitchen Facilities
A large kitchen space is required to store and prepare the special dietary requirements of
wildlife. While cooking is not a priority, the washing, chopping, and blending of ingredients in
the area are quite intensive. Large amounts of easy to clean counter space are necessary.
Issue:
Kitchen
Figure 4-39 - Kitchen Space
Goals:
A large kitchen should be dedicated to the optimal preparation of diet mixtures for a
myriad of animal species.
a) Daylighting will be used to provide light during the day, when food is processed.
b) A large storage area will be provided containing: refrigerators, freezers, and storage bins.
c) A sizeable countertop will be provided for food preparation: washing, slicing, mixing,
and blending.
Offices
Equipment
400 sq. ft - Kitchen w/storage area
Cabinets, refrigerators (2), chest freezers (2), mixers, stoves, sinks, storage bins/tanks.
t
Kitchen
Adjacency:
The kitchen area will be adjacent to the ICU/Incubation unit and office area of the
facility. Incubation
t
Intensive Care
Figure 4-40 - Kitchen Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ot LUDDOCK

4.417 Administration - Mechanical
Although the entire facility is based on sustainable concepts, it must be kept within a
Administration
specified comfort zone between 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, critical areas of the
facility, medical, ICU/Incubation, and the constantly used kitchen, need stable and constant
temperatures to conduct activities in the interest on comfort and healing.
Figure 4-41 - Temperature Stabilization

Issue:
Mechanical
Goals: Mechanical
An isolated room that does not disturb occupants should be provided for heating and cooling
equipment within the facility. 1 Acoustically Isolating Gap or Insulation
L
Performance Requirements: Gallery Rehabilitation Area

a) The mechanical equipment will stabilize temperatures in the administrative area.
b) This equipment will also aid passive heating and cooling in the education and
rehabilitation wings, keeping those environments within acceptable comfort zones.
c) The room should be acoustically isolated from the gallery and rehabilitation areas. Figure 4-42 - Isolation of Mechanical Area
d) The system will be computer controlled.
Active Solar
Spatial Requirements \ \ \ And Ventilation
400 sq. ft - Kitchen
AC/Heating
Equipment I Ini+c
Computer, A/C Unit, Heating unit, Humidifiying Unit

|^^"|0100010101110001011
Adjacency:
The mechanical room should be placed within or around the administrative area, Figure 4-43 - Computer Control
preferable away from the entry and rehabilitation area due to noise concerns.
Administration
Mech
Figure 4-44 - Mechanical Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center o i LUDDOCK

4.418 Administration - Restrooms
Restroom facilities will be provided for the visiting public and staff members.
Gallery
Administration/
Issue: Restrooms
Medical Area
Restrooms
Goals: Figure 4-45 - Restroom Adjacency

Restrooms should be optimized towards time (day or night) and placement (where in the
facility) of use.
a) Restrooms should be place in close proximity to the gallery and administrative/medical areas.
b) Daylighting should be provided due to expected use by public during daytime hours.
c) Restrooms should be provided for both sexes.
d) Each restroom will service four occupants
Restrooms
240 sq. ft - Restrooms
Restrooms
Equipment
6 toilets, 2 urinals, washbasins (4)
Figure 4-46 - Restroom Daylighting
Adjacency:
The restrooms should be adjacent to the entry area.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ot i_uuuuc»\

4.42 Rehabilitation Wing - Introduction
The treatment of injured wildlife is the principal ftinction of the Wildlife Rehabilitation
Center of Lubbock. Most animals taken into the facility have the capacity to heal themselves
physically with little medical assistance from the facility. However, there is a lack of time to heal
before the injured are either hunted down or starved to death in the wild. What the rehabilitation
facility offers is the time and the place for the natural recovery process to take place.
Three main components constitute the rehabilitation area: a recovery area, the main
rehabilitation area, and a storage area. These components, though related in ftinction, vary in size,
scope, and sophistication.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ui UUDL

4.4 Facility Issues -- User Issues
4.421 Rehabilitation Wing - Recovery Area
The recovery area of the facility is reserved for animals that require some care and cannot
be exposed to the bmnt of the natural climatic elements. In many ways this facility is appropriate
for passive solar design in the maimer that it tempers the outside temperatures, yet mimics the
daily cyclical changes.
Figure 4-47 - Green Building

Issue:
Recovery Area
Goals:
A large isolated, naturally lighted, yet readily accessible area should be provided to
enhance the healing process of wildlife in need frequent care.
a) The rooms will be more open towards the environment and climate.
n m n
b) Permanent partitions for enclosure spaces will be provided.
c) Utility closets will be provided to promote sanitation in this area. Figure 4-48 - Partitions and Utility
1200 sq. ft-Recovery
Administration/
Equipment Medical
Partitions, enclosures of varying sizes
Adjacency:
The recovery area should be placed between the intensive care and rehabilitation areas as
Recovery
part of the path in which wildlife is healed. Furthermore, it will have direct access to the Area
rehabilitation storage area.
zrh.
Rehabilitation
/\rea
Storage
Area
Figure 4-49 - Recovery Adjacency

4.422 Rehabilitation Wing - Rehabilitation Area
The rehabilitation area will be the largest section of the facility and the simplest in
concept and constmction. It is essentially a single oversized shed or set of sheds designed to re-
acclimate recovering animals back into the natural environment, but away from the most extreme
elements of the direct summer sun, gusting fronts, and icy rains. ^^
Roughly 4000 square feet will be initially provided with room for additional expansion. Figure 4-50 - Open building to sun and
breezes
Issue:
Rehabilitation Area K K K
Goals:
A large space should be dedicated to gradually initiate and acclimate rapidly recovering Figure 4-51 - Architectural Relationship
wildlife back into the natural environment under supervised conditions.
Rehab Pool
Performance Requirements: Structure
a) The rooms will be open towards the environment and climate for reintroduction of the
animal into the wild. Training
b) This shed-like quality will have an architectural relationship to the rest of the facility. Enclosures
c) Additional space will be provided for flight cages and pools required for the re-
Figure 4-52 - Additional Rehab Enclosures
acclimation process.
d) These shelters will be easy to expand in the fiiture.
Original
Structure
Spatial Requirements Figure 4-53 - Future Expansion
2400 sq. ft - Recovery
Equipment Recovery
Partitions, enclosures of varying sizes. Area
Adjacency:
This endpoint of the healing process is a new beginning for the wild patient Thus the Rehabilitation
rehabilitation space should be placed next to the recovery area, ending the healing Area
process
Figure 4-54 - Rehabilitation Area Adjacency
32
Moore, 223.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ui L-ubbock

4.423 Rehabilitation Wing - Storage Area
A natural fluctuation in animal load occurs during the year at all facilhies. Rehabilitation
centers often bristle with activity during the spring and summer due to the bursts of life the
seasons bring. However, activities die down during the fall and winter leaving many enclosures
empty. A place is needed to store cages and other rehabilitation equipment during these months.
Figure 4-55 - Green Building

Issue:
Storage Area
Goals: U1 1 u
A large room should be provided to store rehab cages and other equipment not in use.
This room should also serve as additional recovery/rehabilitation space during the busy
n1 1 n
spring months. 11 111 1
a) Similar to the recovery area.
b) More storage space for unused cages should be provided. t
1200 sq. ft-Storage n
Equipment
Figure 4-56 - Multiple Configurations
Partitions, enclosures of varying sizes.
Adjacency:
The Rehabilitation Storage Area should be adjacent to the Recovery area.
Recovery
Area
Storage
Area
Figure 4-57 - Recovery Adjacency

4.43 Education Wing - Introduction
Education, once a part-time endeavor of the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,
has gradually grown in size and scope. It is a chance for the center to reach out to both the
students and general public of Lubbock. Many of the ftinctions occur at the elementary level and
take place at actual school facilities, in front of hundreds of children. These activities cannot be
addressed at the new facility due to cost benefit ratios for a city the size of Lubbock However,
smaller class and meeting groups of 60 individuals can be considered.
A place where facility members and the public can interact is quite important to facility
this size. It is a place to educate the public about wildlife rehabilitation and the environment, as
mentioned earlier. However, it is also a place that can be used for social fijnctions, committee
meetings, and fimdraisers. It is essentially the primary communication tool of the center.

4.431 Education Wing - Classroom
A classroom area should allow gatherings of up to 60 individuals. It is a muhipurpose

meeting space both staff'and public alike.
Issue: ^ ^^^^^r
Classroom
Goals:
The muhipurpose room should effectively accommodate both class field trips, staff and
committee meetings, and various other events.
^^TIVI^
a) The room will be designed to initially handle up to 60 people. Gatherings
b) An effective stage area will be set to display teaching animals.
c) Multimedia equipment will be integral to the room
^^mM^
Spatial Requirements Figure 4-58 - Classroom with Green
1000 sq. ft - Classroom Building and Multiple
Configurations
Equipment
Stage, screen, muhimedia equipment, chairs, tables.
Adjacency:
The classroom should be placed in close proximity to the gallery.
Figure 4-59 - Classroom Adjacency

4.432 Education Wing - Exhibit Area
A flexible exhibit area will display a variety of exhibits pertaining to the primary mission
of the facility. Furthermore, it may also showcase a variety environmental concerns and solutions.
It also should display the various aspects the various aspects of green design placed into the
building.
Since most public activities occur in the education wing, special emphasis on making Figure 4-60 - Gallery Connection to Nature
aspects of sustainable design should be made readily apparent, visual in many cases.
Issue:
Exhibit Area
Gk)als:
The gallery should provide a space to educate visitors informally at all times.
a) The gallery will be a large open space suitable for a variety of exhibits Viewer->Exhibits->Nature->World
b) It will be a literal and symbolic window to the environment. Figure 4-61 - Gallery Perspectives
c) It will
Classroom/
Spatial Requirements Meeting
500 sq. ft - Gallery Area
Equipment ii
Display Classes, accent lighting
Storage
Adjacency:
The gallery should be placed in close proximity to the classroom, storage, and entry/
reception areas of the facility.
^^
Gallery
t
Entry/
Reception
Figure 4-62 - Gallery Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Luuuuup.

4.433 Education Wing - Storage
A dedicated storage area must be provided to store the various items required for
classroom and exhibit areas such as chairs, tables, audiovisual equipment, and displays.
Issue:
Storage
Goals:
The storage area should store various items such as chairs, tables, equipment, and
exhibits.
a) The room will store at least 30 folding chairs and several folding tables
b) It will also be able to store A/V equipment and props, and gallery exhibits
1000 sq. ft - Classroom
Equipment
Stage, screen, multimedia equipment, chairs, tables.
Adjacency:
The gallery should be placed in close proximity to the classroom, storage, and entry/ Classroom/
reception areas of the facility. Meeting
;
storage
Gallery
t
Figure 4-63 - Storage Adjacency
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ut Lubbock

4.5 Facility Issues - Spatial Relationship Diagram
Storage/ Rehabilitation
Recovery
Kitchen
Classroom
I
Office
Area
ICU/
Incubation
Recovery
I
Rehabilitation
Restroom
I
Gallery
XI Entry/
Reception
Medical
I
Rehabilitation
Education Wing Administrative Core Rehabilitation Wing

4.6 Facility Issues - References
De Chira, Joseph Time Saver Standards for Building Types. Joseph De Chiara and John
Hancock Callendar, ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Pub. Co., 1990.
[DeVold, Ronda]. What is Wildlife Rehabilitation. 18 Jul 1996

< http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/devold/twrid/html/w_is_re.htm >.
Joosten, Sally "Why Educate?" NWRA Principles of Wildlife Rehabilitation. St Cloud, MN:
NWRA, 1997.
Koebrer, Linda. Zoo Book: The Evolution of Wildlife Conservation Centers. New York: Forge
Press, 1994.
Mitchell. Carol, ed. The Mockingbird Chronicles. 4:1 Summer 1998.
Pokras, Mark. "Introduction to Wildlife Rehabilitation," NWRA Principles of Wildlife Rehabilitation, St.
Cloud, MN: NWRA, 1997.
Ramsey, Charles G Ramsey/Sleeper Architectural Graphic Standards. New York: J. Wiley,

1994.
Slavid, Ruth et al. Architect's Joumal. "Designing for Wild-Animal Welfare." 198:17. 3 (Nov
1993).35-43.

•
5.0 S p a c e s ummary- Spatial Analysis
Facility S p a c e Quantity Users Area(NSF) Area (USF) Area (GSF)
Educational Area
Classroom 1 30 900 1170 1400
Gallery Area 1 15 500 650 780
Total Educational 1400 1820 2180
Office Area
Entry/Reception 1 10 400 520 624
Offices 4 4 480 624 750
Lounge 1 4 400 520 624
Medical; 1 1 500 650 780
ICU/Intensive Care 2 4 1040 1350 1620
Kitchen 1 3 400 520 624
Total Administrative 3220 4186 5023
Rehabilitation Area
Recovery 1 4 1200 1560 1872
Rehabilitation 4 4 2400 3120 3750
Storage 1 2 600 780 936
Total Rehabilitation 4200 5460 6550
Total Area (sq. ft) 8820 11460 13750
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocI i^m

tk
6.0 Design
:,;*W?
An environmentally sensitive architecture Seeks to remfylfie "^

contemporary problems by creating a more honest and intelligent
dialogue between structure, site, and climate.

6.1 Design - Process
6.11 Introduction - Parti Evolution
The Wildlife Center of Lubbock was a design project that gradually evolved over a ten
month period - starting from Research Schematics in Fall 1999, through Terminal Design Studio
in Spring 1999, concluding in the early Summer 1999. The process taken in the development of
the project can best be described as the gradual evolution of form and content catalyzed via strong
Concept 1 - Arc and Scalpel
initial concepts.
This evolution produced a shift in emphasis from a sustainability-centered dialogue
between building and nature towards formalism in order to generate a more expressive
archhecture. Sustainable issues remained key components in the design of the facility, but did not
îl {
Concept 2 - Interaction of Structure and Nature
dictate the final layout of the complex. The primary generators of the design parti were derived
from several formalistic concepts conceived early in the schematic design process.
The first concept, initially from a sketch of an arc interacting with a triangular form, was
a simple yet powerful abstract representation of the primary mission of the facility. This curve
[?
represents nature interacting with the sharpened scalpel form, representative of veterinary medical
%
treatment offered by humans, in an act of healing.
Concept 3 - Flight Cage Integration
The second concept involved the breakdown of building form so that structure gradually
merges with nature. This concept is related to the function of the facility that animals, brought
traumatized into the artificial environment of the medical clinic, are gradually reintroduced into
nature
A third minor concept attempted to integrate a rehabilitation flight cage within the heart
of the facility instead of a stand-alone structure It was used in the final design. A fourth concept
{JP—~
Concept 4 - Modified Axial Relationship
studied the separation of the gallery/administrative/medical area from the rehabilitation arc. It was
an alternate plan abandoned early in design studio Figure 6-01 - From Parti to Final Model

^ 1 Design - Process
6.12 Research Schematics - Schematic Design Review
These two primary concepts led to the initial schematic design of the facility This design
consists of a thin curvilinear arc form corridor that is link s the gallery, administrative, medical
area, and rehabilitation area under one roof The rooms connected and outside the arc were placed
on an invisible grid, with an emphasis laterally on a north-south axis.
The interaction between building and nature was approached through a variety of
sustainable and formalistic strategies. The emphasis on sustainable design focused on the use of
"i IJ \
H Qi ^ -—_^\
passive and active solar techniques and technologies, daylighting, natural ventilation, material use,
and proposals on water collection. The facility design consisted of compact double story forms in Figure 6-02 - Initial Parti/Layout
the gallery and administrative/medical area countered by a larger, more open single-story
rehabilitation area. The massing of the complex, while somewhat crude in retrospect, did possess
and asymmetrical balance as a whole.
Figure 6-03- Overhead Perspective from NE
Figure 6-04- Parti/Terrain Model
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocJ

6/[ Design - Process
6.13 Terminal Design Studio - Preliminary Review
Several ahemative forms were created and examined early in design studio, but the
strong and clear simplicity of the initial concept prevailed. However, significant changes to the
design were made before preliminary review.
All activities were now placed on one level instead of two. The ADA
requirement, installation, and maintenance of an elevator in the facility was not
necessary and cost prohibhive.
As the design evolved, a stronger emphasis was placed on avian rehabilitation, Figure 6-05 - Study Sketch
the bulk of the rehabilitation cases in the area, however some accommodations
for mammals and reptiles were kept in the final design.
The overall form of the facility was streamlined to symbolically represent its
primary focus, birds, creating a curvilinear form moving from west to east.
This east-west orientation of the administrative/medical area significantly

enhanced its passive solar options.
Unfortunately, the streamlined form created an awkward internal layout for the users of the
facility. Furthermore, it seemed to become too organic in form, losing an essential contrast and Figure 6-06 - Parti
conflict between rectilinear and curvilinear form representing, in this case, humankind and nature.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubhork

S.^ Design - Process
6.14 Terminal Design Studio - Qualifying Review
Exploration of further permutations in design led towards a more finalized form by qualifying
review. While the streamlined form was abandoned, the formalistic approach to design was not.
In many respects, the design offered for the qualifying review was a much refined version of the
schematic design offered at the end of the prior semester in Research Schematics. iiu
A tapered arc form was introduced to the design that merged gallery with
circulation.
Figure 6-07 - Floor Plan
Work areas were redesigned to be placed in less awkward rectilinear rooms.
A strong public axis interface was introduced.
This redesign accented the contrast between the curve and rectilinear form
which often symbolic of organic and manmade elements. Intersection occurs in
between these contrasts, in the rehabilitation area.
However, this contrast is not seen in elevation. All roofed surfaces were parallel to the horizon.
Thus a curved roof form was introduced.. resulting in the final design response. Figure 6-08 - Study Model
_. ...-.=T3
i^cSiJ j- " — j . ._.
1 1 -
• ICi
Figure 6-09 - Elevation

6.2 Design - Response
6.21 Introduction
Although numerous ahemate and designs were synthesized at the end of Research
^
Schematics and early in Design Studio, the key concepts of the facility were in place early in the
design process. However, overall intersection and interaction between structure and nature was
preserved throughout most of the design phase.
The arc form of the facility survived throughout the design process with significant
improvements from both theoretical and formalistic standpoints. The tapered form allowed an
elegant transition from gallery space to corridor when one travels down its length. Furthermore, r*-^.
an exploration in expressing the curve from elevation allowed the introduction of an expressive il. r~f7 z,..î~7PTPf9jyf
curved roof, an three-dimensional extension of the arc wall in plan, inspired by the various air
terminals of Eero Saarinen.
/
PF"
..ik ftv**.*
Figure 6-10 - Arc Elevation Studies
Figure 6-11 - Arc Elevation Model

6.22 Issues - Theoretical Issues
The program at the beginning of this work states, "An intelligent dialogue between
structure, site, and nature is created through sustainable design and interaction between structure
Ii
and site." It was a reasonable statement that originally placed emphasis on the sustainable aspect
of building design over formalistic considerations. However, the emphasis shifted during the
design phase of the project.
While passive and active solar design were all but eliminated in the final design, many of i •
the other sustainable goals were achieved. Features incorporated into the facility include
daylighting, the use of recycled materials (flyash and steel), water conservation, and use of natural
ventilation. Daylighting is especially important in establishing a connection between indoor and
outdoor space, allowing cyclical cycles of the day and seasons to be noticed by the users within.
Formalistic considerations involve the gradual removal of structure and systems as one Figure 6-12 - Theory
moves from the gallery to the rehabilitation areas of the building to emphasize the gradual
reintroduction of animals from the controlled medical environment back to the natural. These
elements include the HVAC, windows, and walls. Furthermore, elements of nature, such as water
and native vegetation, are introduced into the building. Although an ambitious "layer-cake"
relationship was not created in the design solution, some interaction is created between the
structure and surrounding site
Figure 6-13 - Final Model Overview

^j Design - Response
6.23 Issues - Contextual Issues
The emphasis of arc, axis, and grid is a multi-level response to various contextual issues
at the site, local, and abstracted levels
Site - the arc form wall is present to protect occupants from sounds from the athletic
complex while the north-south axis serves as an interface between the public and the
center.
Local - the arc curve also represents nature in contrast to the axial-gridlike form that
represents the urban/built environment.
•V
Formalization - this curve can easily be transposed from plan to elevation creating a form
somewhat evocative of flight, echoing air terminals at Dulles in Washington DC. and the N
\
TWA terminal in New York.
The design of the Wildlife Center attempts to express its main purpose and comment on
the local surroundings at the same time. The arc form consists of a masonry wall, clerestory
window assembly, and a curved roof representing the connection and contrast between earth and
sky, enforced by the solid earthy red color of the arc walls and the lighter turquoise colored roof Figure 6-14 - Context
The clerestory assembly can be interpreted as support from the ground/humans to the sky/birds in
the facility
The administrative/medical area of the complex represents the urban context that
interacts with the natural environment. In many ways its beige color is representative of the
somewhat "basic" building that dominate the relatively young city of Lubbock.

6.24 Issues - User
The overall facility is separated into three main sections: the public gallery, a centralized
administrative/medical area, and the main rehabilitation area. These sections, separated by the
circulatory system of the building, consists of a main arc corridor that bridges all three sections of
the facility and two parallel linear hallways serving the public and private needs of the facility.
Privacy and security were the prime generators of this arrangement. The organization
allows the public limited, but invaluable access to the facility, a relatively undisturbed work
environment for staff and volunteers, and adequate physical isolation for animals in rehabilitation
The function of the arc wall is to physically block people on the athletic fields from
entering the facility unauthorized from the north and east. Furthermore, the wall blocks crowd
noises from the fields. Note that the bulk of the storage, mechanical systems, kitchen, and
workshop are exposed to the public outer face of the arc while more sensitive functions, healing
and educating, are located within.
Other strategies were applied to further enhance the security and privacy of the facility. A
centralized reception desk controls access from the inside, fencing, trees, and a central courtyard
arrangement of rehabilitation structures help secure the exterior of the building.
Figure 6-15 - User Issues
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lub!

6.3 Design - Documentation
6.31 Site/Site Plan
The relationship between parti and site

becomes evident when one views the
building form whhin its surrounding
environment.
One can readily see how the curved wall of

the Gallery/Circulation Hall acts to shield
the facility from the adjacent Buri Huffman
Athletic Complex. The secondary form of
the entry axis lies parallel to the public
street in which the public and private
approach the facility from Landmark Lane.
Note that the original road leading into the

Burl Huffman Athletic Complex has been
moved north of the site. Furthermore, a
second road has been added to alleviate
traffic into and out of the lot.
Figure 6-16 - Site/Roof Plan

6.32 Plan
The plan of the facility reflects the design

response of the various theoretical and user
issues placed on the building.
While the nucleus of the building, the

administrative/medical section, consists of a
series of small rooms defined by necessity,
the facility rapidly opens up through the
ICU/Incubation area, through recovery, and
into the rehabilitation area, from the
perspective of the recovering animal.
Half of the facility isfiiUyenclosed in an air

conditioned environment. However this
sealed environment is broken down in the
rehabilitation section of the arc, a long
portico with access to niches filled with
water, native vegetation, and natural
ventilation.
Figure 6-17 - Floor Plan

6.33 Sections
KcriM iHt. - «iua/sraRMt
MCTiaW
SCmE ! • - • •
Figure 6-18 - Sections
The longitudinal section of the center cuts through the center part of the arc form,
revealing the transition between gallery, work area, and corridor. Its high double-story walls gives
the user a verticality and open space, fiirther enforced by daylighting through the clerestory avE
windows and framing present throughout the arc. This design prevents isolation of the user from
the outside environment.
A transverse section through the gallery further enforces this strategy. Other sections . .f , :
through the administrative/medical, and rehabilitation sections of the facility expose smaller ^••:
intimate spaces used for business, medical needs, and healing at the wildlife center. Figure 6-19 - Section Cuts
"saraDBrr^rrs-
6.3 Design - Solution
6.34 Elevations
nun aeviiriBi
T^^||n^ll^tt^^lmi"l]fflBPilllHMlf^ r r
• n t eUvATtw
WHTH CLCVilTiaM
ttit ElEVATIOn
•LiyATlOW
KALt I" - «•
Figure 6-20 - Elevations
The sections reveal the overall form hierarchy of the building and its components. The arc form of the gallery/corridor is dominant in contrast
to the medical/administrative sections while the rehabilitation area is hidden from public view. An earthy-red and teal stucco color scheme is suggested
for the arc form in contrast to a more benign beige for administrative/medical area.

S^ Design - Solution
6.35 Structural/Mechanical Diagrams
The walls of the center are composed of primarily unreinforced standard concrete masonry units
covered with stucco and insulation outside and in, respectively. The use of CMU block permits
the relafively simple and speedy assembly of the predominant arc form of the building.
Furthermore, flyash can be introduced into the concrete in block and foundation, increasing its
strength and adding a somewhat sustainable quality. The wall can be reinforced with concrete and
rebars to form pilasters at points where clerestory framing meets the wall.
The clerestory framing and window assembly is probably the most "exotic" and expensive system
of the building. Each beam and window must be customized in order to create the three
dimensional connection between wall and roof
The roof itself is relatively simple consisting of a series of steel joists.
The decision to switch from a passive solar system to a more standard HVAC was based on the
needs and economy of the facility. The orientation and low height of the facility made a passive
solar system difficuk to design. Furthermore, fluctuations in temperature and humidity within the
medical portion of the facility were undesirable. Therefore a centralized split package HVAC unit
was used for the facility.
Figure 6-21 - Structural/Mechanical

S^ Design - Sojution^
6.36 Details
^^.
( 5 5 ^ ^>
' - ^ ^ ^ -
Lftk T-r
•
^"^^--^ " - mt •*! am. mu
^
w
\_ -St,rrur
MMAMUTATIOM MM
airrtfv
T * M M » WMJ.
!!
SECTION E - CN.I.ERr VAIL SCCTIW
TVnCM. MM « * U . ISECTKM CI
-MMt (1«>K »*m fâ^tm
Wb^
tgtauv"
BSIA|k& SCALE 1" • 2
SECTION r - AWIH/ICOICAI. •M.L SECTIONS
Figure 6-22 - Details

6j Design - Solution
6.37 Perspectives
Figure 6-23 - Wildlife Center Overview Figure 6-24 - Entry Approach
Figure 6-25 - Public Gallery (A) Figure 6-26 - Central Pool

.6j^ Design - Solutioji
6.38 Model
» • • *
^s-a
Figure 6-27 - Model Overview Figure 6-28 - Gallery/Public Axis
Figure 6-29 - View From Northeast Figure 6-26 - View From Southeast

6.4 Design - Conclusion
I started in Fall 1999 with a set of vague theoretical issues to be incorporated into a
relatively scarcely documented facility type, the animal wildlife rehabilitation facility. What
started at a relatively simple goal that focused primarily on sustainability and site, evolved into a
more sophisticated project that incorporated abstract meaning and form.
Were issues such as sustainability and various other issues established in the original
program compromised or even sacrificed'^ Yes. However, the addition of the dominant tapered
arc form and curved roof of the facility added an architectural depth to the facility that exceeded in
sum to what was initially lost.
The resulting design stresses an interaction between the form of the building through the
use of sustainable strategies in a more literal manner through the breakdown of building elements.
Structure gives way to nature, allowing its penetration into the building in the process.
Furthermore, the building evolved into an abstract statement on the relationship between the
humans, birds, and other animals within the facility. The contrasting relationship between the
rectilinear and curvilinear forms represents the collision and interaction between urban and natural
forms. A more intimate relationship is shown through the arc form where earthy mass of the arc
walls serve as a base for a clerestory scaffolding for the curved form of the roof It is the contrast
between earth and sky. the difference between birds and the rest of the animal kingdom.

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AN INTERSECTION

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Part 1: Program Overview

Part 2: Architectural Issues

Part 3: Contextual Issues

Part 4: Facility Issues

Part 5: Space Summary

Part 6: Design Solution

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

" Ibid, 89.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Sustainability is evocative of optimistic and protective ideas, recalling

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

'^ Steele, 234,

I The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

t The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbo

Figure 2-6 - Natural Ventilation/Cooling

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Figure 2-9 - Elevated "Bird's Eye" Connection

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Performance Requirements: Figure 2-11 - Seasonal Shade and Sun

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocR

Fig 2-15 - Trees and Asphalt

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocK

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Fig 2-16 - MaxPot Demonstration Home Plan

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubb

' ^ • ' <

JL Figure 2-19 - Westvaco Northern Exterior

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Haslam, Michael. "Desert Bloom." Architectural Review. 202:1205 (Jul 1997).

Hawken, Paul. The Ecology of Commerce. A Declaration of Sustainability. New York:

Stein, Richard. Architecture and Energy. New York: Doubleday, 1977.

Zeiber, Laura C. The Ecology of Architecture: A Complete Guide to Creating the

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Fig 3-1 - Lubbock and the South Plains

Fig 3-2 - The Lubbock Skyline - An Illustration

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center or LUDDOCK

Fig 3-4 - Project Location

'^-Lubbock", Microsoft Encarta 99, 1998.

The Wildlife Rehabilitation v^emer ot L.UUUUC^

an average 10.4" inches of snow falls onto the ground.

Fig 3-6 - Rainfall (Monthly Avg)

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbocK

Issue: Figure 3-7 - Computer Control

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Figure 3-12 - Symbolic Landmark Reference

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LubbucK

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of LUUOOCK

N^ H -^20'/6m GtHBTTB HTBmET VCWS

Figure 3-17 - Building Plan Figure 3-16 - Building Connections

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

5o/7 ^M/T'e'>'- Lubbock, Texas. 1975.

[Susan Shore], The Lubbock Lake Landmark, 27 Oct 1997, <http://vvrvvw.ttu.edu/~museumy

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center <^f Lubbock

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock

Figure 4-3 - Immersive Gorilla Exhibit, Atlanta

The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of i nhborW