There seems to be an increasing gap between people and nature. Interpretation can be seen as a process of narrowing this divide by building “bridges”, across unfamiliar territory, to places of deeper care and understanding. The definition of interpretation is: A mental representation of the meaning or significance of something. The interpreter is one who develops the meaning of a place and the living things, its processes and human interactions. Interpretation happens in many ways, from guided tours to brochures, signboards, slideshows, live performances and many others. Without hands-on experience, it is impossible for someone to acquire a deeper understanding of the natural world. Interpretation delivers multiple perspectives in a culturally compassionate way. The main function of an interpretation center is to promote a creative learning atmosphere, seeking to reveal to the visitors the significance of cultural or historical heritage of the surrounding environment. The main objective is nature education. This is achieved by hosting tours of the land/sea-scape, informative classes and hands on interaction with the environment, in an effort to create awareness and promote biodiversity, conservation and ecotourism. Usually located within a protected open space, these “nature” centers often have trails through their property. Some centers are located within a state or city park, and some contain facilities where various plants are cultivated for exhibition. Their properties can be characterized as nature preserves and wildlife sanctuaries. They often have on display small live animals, such as reptiles, rodents, insects, or fish. They contain different types of museum exhibits and displays about natural history, or preserved mounted animals or nature dioramas. Nature interpretation centers are generally staffed by paid or volunteer naturalists and most offer educational programs to the general public, like summer camps and after school and school group programs. The structure itself should be designed so that it is non-invasive and fits naturally into the surrounding area. This can be accomplished by using natural environmentally friendly materials and renewable resources and energy. “Sustainability creates and maintains

the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony that permits fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations” (Sustainability EPA). Interpretation centers can be found all over the world. They range from the minimalistic two room stone and mud brick structure to the large wood and glass wrapped exhibition hall. Whatever the design, the mission stays the same: conservancy and education. The Environmental Interpretation Centre on São Jorge Island is located in the middle of the Atlantic on the Azores archipelago of Portugal. The islands are very remote and not particularly well known. The government is trying to increase tourism and education of their parks and the Centre is one of their projects to aid that effort (Stone Environ.). The Centre will help provide information on the area, serve as an education center on the local environment, support architectural heritage, provide knowledge of marine and coastal habitats, and serve as a center to further study the local plants and wildlife. The original property featured a one story stone building, which was used as a foundation and then remodeled for the center. This building was restored using the original plans and a second story was added as was a second building behind it, careful to stay faithful to the area’s architectural heritage (ArchDaily). The main building serves as the education center and the building behind is used as temporary living quarters for visiting researchers. The area will also eventually have a campsite and the Interpretation Centre will serve as its central office. The first building, the Center for Interpretation and Environmental Monitoring, consists of two floors with approximately 2800 sqft. of space. It contains beautiful views of the landscape, exhibition space with samples from the local area and a theatre. It keeps its original façade and uses local wood and volcanic stone for its construction. The thick stone walls act as a thermal barrier to slow the transfer of heat and keep the interior comfortable (ArchDaily). Deep window wells provide natural light but also minimize heat gain. The second building is intended as a temporary apartment. It is built of the

same local materials and features a kitchen and living room on the first floor and bedroom and bathroom on the second. The Landscape Interpretation center in Sabayes, Spain by Sixto Marin Gavin is another example of how a structure can be incorporated into its surroundings. It is not only functional but compliments the landscape surrounding it. The project is split into two parts: the building to host the exhibition contents and the garden where the different ecosystems of the area would be recreated. The house like structure is clad in an organic gunite covering naturally dyed concrete, creating the illusion of a rock that fell from the local rock formations and was afterwards sculpted by time and human hand (DesignBoom). The chosen materials, both the colored concrete and the corten weathering steel, set an additional level of relationship with the landscape. Over time, due to its different orientations and its exposure to the atmosphere the building itself will change, displaying a range of colors and patterns. The interior is a single room in which the geometry of the ceiling creates a giant skylight, made of plane surfaces that do not touch the walls and let the daylight come in. Large openings in unfinished metal frames cut through the solid walls allowing natural light to reflect off of the white interior directing the visitor’s attention to key areas of the exhibition hall (DesignBoom). The natural materials and the simplicity of this structure help it to blend into the landscape and does not allow anything to be taken from the surrounding environment. The Canadian Shield is a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high grade metamorphic rocks that forms the ancient geological core of the North American continent covered by a thin layer of soil. This landscape of granite, scrapped bare by the passage of glaciers, is where you would find the French River Visitor Centre. Flowing across a landscape of rock and water, the visitor experience is organized along a sloping topography of found and constructed elements that establish an interpretive and spatial framework for the project, which interprets the River's descent from its headwaters at Lake Nippissing to its delta at Georgian

Bay (CanadianArch:French River). The center is situated on an outcrop of exposed granite; it has been organized into a series of terraces that follow its sloped topography, providing an unobstructed path that connects the elevated parking area with an existing lower-level picnic zone. “The project establishes an architecture of the River, defining and invoking its physical qualities and cultural legacy through an integrated approach to architecture, landscape and exhibit environments” (ArchDaily). The terraces provide connections between interior and exterior areas, and are sized and configured to accommodate multitasking of the facility for a wide range of learning opportunities and to promote use throughout the year. The terrace at the entrance has been situated southward to maximize the use of the sun, and the walls on either side provide shelter from westerly winds. The terrace where different events are held is located on the east side of the building and is provided with a large overhang in case of bad weather. Also, an outdoor amphitheater for school group presentations can be found on another one of the center’s terraces. Its sustainability features include a system of cistern “islands” that contain water and sewage bio-filter systems to reduce cost and maintenance. There are also cisterns that regulate storm water flows and reduce erosion of the site’s thin soils. A high performance exterior shell made of structural insulated panels coupled with a heat recovery ventilation system help the structure maintain an energy conservancy forty percent higher than Canada’s standard national energy code for new buildings (ArchDaily). The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science was founded in 1933 by Francis A. Cook as a part of the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission. The museum is located in LeFleur's Bluff State Park and features aquariums, habitat exhibits, and nature trails specializing in the plants and animals of Mississippi. The museum also houses the state's diverse biological collection, containing more than 800 thousand specimens of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, invertebrates, plants, and fossils. The museum is both a center for research and education. Its mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of Mississippi's biological diversity

through collections, research, scientific data bases, education, and exhibits, and to encourage the people of Mississippi to respect the environment and to preserve natural Mississippi. The museum provides numerous learning opportunities in its 73,000 sqft complex. There are two and a half miles of nature trails on 300 acres in which visitors can experience Mississippi’s environment firsthand. There is also an outdoor open-air amphitheater where visitors, school groups, and researchers can enjoy entertaining and educational performances. Inside the museum life-sized dioramas of the state’s diverse habitats can be viewed. There is also a 100,000 gallon aquarium system that houses over two hundred living species, and a 1,700 sqft greenhouse called "The Swamp" (Ms Museum). In Freeman Tilden’s study, “Interpreting Our Heritage”, he defined interpretation as "an educational activity which aims to reveal meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, by first-hand experience, and by illustrative media, rather than simply to communicate factual information" (Tilden). Environmental education teaches people of all ages about the natural environment, so that they can make informed decisions on how to care for it. Interpretation is a communication process that exposes meanings and relationships about natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources. Interpretation and environmental education work together to help make connections between the world of science and the public (Interpretation). For us as designers we strive to maintain some sense of sustainability in our structures and complexes so that future generations can appreciate the environment in which they live. “The sustainable approach supports an increased commitment to environmental stewardship and conservation, and results in an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal, and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility” (Sustainability WBDG). Healthy ecosystems and environments are necessary to the survival and flourishing of humans and other organisms. Education through natural interpretation centers and natural science museums help place individuals closer to nature and provide insight into the planet’s diverse ecosystems.

Works Cited   "ArchDaily | Broadcasting Architecture Worldwide." ArchDaily. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. . "French River Visitor Centre." French River Visitor Centre. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb.2014. .    "Interpretation." National Parks Service. National Parks Service, n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. . "MS Museum of Natural Science." MS Museum of Natural Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. . "Stone Environmental Interpretation Centre is a Sensitive Reconstruction on São Jorge Island | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building." N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. .  "Sustainability Information | EPA Research | EPA." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2014. .    "Sustainability of the Building Envelope." WBDG. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. . Tilden, Freeman. Interpreting our heritage. 3d ed. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1977. Print. "sixto marin gavin: sabayes landscape interpretation center." designboom architecture design magazine sixto marin gavin sabayes landscape interpretation center Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. .