Schlitz Audubon Nature Center

Situated on 185 acres along the shores of Lake Michigan, the new Schlitz Audubon Nature Center opened to the public in 2003. Once a pristine lakefront prairie and woodland, the site was logged and turned into horse pasture in the early 1900′s. In 1971 the site became a nature preserve.

TKWA was hired to design a new building to replace an aging structure the Center had outgrown. The goal was to design a facility that preserves the natural sanctuary of the site and helps educate the public about environmental stewardship.

Key sustainable features include a stable, well-insulated building shell to minimize temperature fluctuations, roof-mounted photovoltaics, natural daylight and ventilation, and use of site-harvested timbers. A restored native prairie covers an extensive geothermal heating/cooling system, and helps helps manage stormwater runoff while supporting overall site biodiversity.