Walden Pond Visitor Center

Wood in Government Buildings

Visitor center becomes the hub of national historic landmark

318 319 320 alden Pond State R eservation The new, 6,000-sq.ft. center inter- is an internationally acclaimed weaves with the landscape to emphasize WNational Historic Landmark Walden Pond and the site. The design and protected open space that sees team held the building off the central more than 500,000 visitors a year due axis from the pond to the parking lot to its great beauty and status as the so the center takes a secondary position famed retreat of author and natural- to the view of the pond. A meandering ist Henry David Thoreau. The new and accessible ramp draws the public Walden Pond Visitor Center is the up and onto the trellised deck, which result of a decades-long planning and leads to the exhibition space and public implementation process, and the fru- facilities. Nestled within existing trees ition of much collaboration between and new plantings, the project gives a Massachusetts’ Department of Con- sense of unfolding sequence and explo- servation and Recreation (DCR), the ration. Together with a community design team and stakeholders, includ- meeting room and staff offices, exhi- ing the Walden Woods Project and The bition spaces dedicated to Walden’s Thoreau Society. impact on the world create a new hub.

321 6

1 2 3

7 4

1. visitor’s center 5. existing parking lot 2. handicap accessible ramp 6. solar panel array 3. replica of Thoreau’s cabin 7. main axis of entry to pond 4. existing entry to parking lot 8. Walden Pond

SITE PLAN

Local context and site conditions over the parking lot and supplies all CLIENT informed the design strategy and imple- of the center’s energy needs. In winter, Massachusetts Department of mentation at all levels. The deck with triple-pane windows and super insula- Conservation and Recreation black locust trellis members is clad with tion keep the spaces at a comfortable Boston, MA locally sourced, heat-treated ash. Heat- temperature with little reliance on the treated wood is excellent for outdoor energy-efficient electric heat pump ARCHITECT applications and an alternative to the system. In warmer months, the ample Maryann Thompson Architects Watertown, MA use of rainforest woods. The project also operable windows and ceiling fans used a portion of the former visitor cen- create natural ventilation. Project- STRUCTURAL ENGINEER ter’s foundation, in line with the site’s ing timber overhangs work to reduce RSE Associates Inc. conservationist ethos. The office mill- solar heat gain. As the structure and Watertown, MA work was done in Massachusetts red oak building components are visible and and harvested by DCR’s forestry team legible, visitors to the center also have GENERAL CONTRACTOR specifically for the center. an interactive sense of the ecological Stutman Contracting Inc. The building is net-zero energy, building principles, which are con- Oxford, MA with no reliance on fossil fuels for temporary expressions of the legacy of its operation. A photovoltaic solar Henry David Thoreau and the Ameri- TIMBER SUPPLIER Ponders Hollow array doubles as a shade structure can conservation movement. Westfield, MA

PHOTOGRAPHY Iwan Baan Amsterdam, The Netherlands Chuck Choi Boston, MA 322 9

6 7 2

1 3 4 8

1. entry ramp & arrival deck 4. bookstore/gift shop 7. staff restrooms 2. lobby/exhibit 5. public restrooms 8. staff conference/break room 3. temporary exhibit/conference 6. offices 9. bench

FLOOR PLAN

323