The National Aviary is currently undergoing an $18.5 million expansion and renovation project known as Project Phoenix, which will add 25,000 square feet, target Silver LEED certification, introduce a more seamless environment, and provide more bird-friendly facilities.
"The building is a major work of architecture for Allegheny County. It's designed to be legible as a bird building, in other words, we want people to recognize it as being for birds," says Paul Rosenblatt, founding principal of Springboard Design, who are in charge of the expansion. Part of this bird-legibility entails the construction of a giant wing sculpture on the new Arch Street entrance to the Aviary.
In addition to the new entrance, which leads into an atrium and café, the focal point of Project Phoenix is the 125 seat Flight Zone Theater. "This theater incorporates sound, light, and bird performance. It's the first purpose built bird theater in the world," says Rosenblatt.
The building will also host a new bird holding area, an outdoor cage space for birds to get fresh air, fritted glass designed specifically to prevent birds from flying into it, and a Rooftop Raptor Theater for Raptor demonstrations. For humans, there will be a new education center, decked out with state of the art technology.
Some of the building's features which aim for LEED certification include the extensive use of recycled materials, parking spaces for energy efficient vehicles, and a light colored roofing material that reflects sunlight.
The expansion will be ready for visitors Labor Day weekend, although some additional work will be done through the end of September.
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Source: Paul Rosenblatt, founding principal of Springboard Design
Writer:
John Farley
Photograph copyright John Farley