“The Wildlife Conservation Society?s Center for Global Conservation, designed by FXFOWLE Architects, is a state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot ?green? facility that will serve as WCS?s command center for its conservation work worldwide, including in North America. It is now the home of more than 100 WCS conservationists, researchers and support staff working to save wildlife and wild places. The facility?s design elements represent the Wildlife Conservation Society?s commitment to sustainable practices by means of environmentally-sound architecture and operations.”…The striking building is designed to harmonize with the landscape in the northern part of the science campus. The three-story structure was carefully located to maximize its relationship with the existing trees in the park. It incorporates elements of nearby rock outcroppings and the natural topography, as well as renewable and recycled materials. The building includes a green roof, an 18-inch layer of local grasses and shrubs, which helps to blend the center into the landscape and reduces temperatures inside the building. The project was recognized by the Public Design Commission of the City of New York with its Design Award,” (YourNabe.com, 2009, see below).
The project was funded through the efforts New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano, The Starr Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).