nARCHITECTS is leading a multidisciplinary team to re-envision the campus and buildings of Teatown Lake Reservation, a non-profit nature education center in Yorktown, NY. The project, which has received planning approval, will create an accessible and ecologically enhanced pedestrian campus, with reconfigured access and operations. nARCHITECTS is designing a renovation of the Nature Center, housed within a 1920s Tudor-style building that served the original estate as stables.
In addition to a new pavilion and maintenance building, the new Education Center will provide a new heart and focal point for the reconfigured campus. This one-story building provides teaching and other spaces not only on the inside, but also on its roof. In the shape of a leaf that may be found on Teatown’s 1000+ acre reservation, a ramp wraps the Center guiding visitors from the forest floor to roof deck. The roof deck immerses visitors with native trees and plants while revealing expansive views of the campus and lake beyond. Educators, students, and visitors can take advantage of the Center built for an interactive nature education, from large, clear sightlines between classrooms and reservation to wide exterior deck and spacious roof deck.The design integrates architecture and landscape through a holistic approach to sustainability which embraces Teatown’s mission to promote environmental stewardship within its community and beyond. The project is expected to break ground in 2025.
