Greer Environmental
Sciences Center
At Virginia Wesleyan University's Greer Environmental Sciences Center, informational signs and installations turn the building and its surrounding landscape into interactive, educational tools for students, reminding them of their role as stewards of their campus and its environment.
Client
Virginia Wesleyan University
Architect
VMDO Architects
Location
Norfolk, VA
Scope
Wayfinding, Signage, Environmental Graphics, Installation, Donor Recognition
Creating Context
VWU is located less than five miles from the Chesapeake Bay, one of the most productive estuaries in the world, home to more than 3,600 species of animals and plants. The Chesapeake Bay is approximately 200 miles long, running through six different states and supporting over 18 million people with its seafood and tourism industries. One of the main goals of the building graphics was to connect students to this amazing local natural resource. Exhibits highlight the impact of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed at the local, regional, and national levels.
Building as a Teaching Tool
The Greer building itself serves as a teaching tool. It is a LEED Gold building, designed and built with sustainability and environmental consciousness in mind. Thoughtful graphics are integrated throughout the building to draw attention to these aspects of the architecture.
Instead of being tied to specific departments, the four teaching labs are organized thematically around the Earth’s four spheres (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere). These four labs include wayfinding signage to distinguish their identity.
Learning Landscape
Educational signage extends into the building's landscape, with its defined planting zones and occupiable green roof all serving to highlight the distinct flora and fauna of the university's floodplain location and connecting students and visitors to their landscape.
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