CLARK COUNTY WETLANDS NATURE CENTER

The project site is located on the very east part of the Las Vegas Valley within the Las Vegas Wash. Due to the potential of annual flooding, the building was elevated over 12 feet above grade on over 100 concrete columns. Another benefit of this raised building is the minimal impact it has on the site. The building program consists of multi-purposed meeting spaces, park offices, themed exhibits, coffee bar and lounge and interactive interpretation center for the Wetlands Park. The building is designed to obtain LEED Gold Certification and includes passive solar strategies, incorporates recycled and renewable building materials; and specialized HVAC systems for reduced energy consumption. The building has become a destination for children and adults to learn about sustainability, the Las Vegas Wash and its ecosystems.  Our team worked very closely with Clark County Real Property Management. At the onset of the project, we quickly discovered the available funding (completed years earlier) was not adequate for the original building program due to the escalation in construction costs. Together, we ran through an exercise in reducing the program by over 5,000 square feet and the budget by approximately $10,000,000. The project is a success.

Dwayne R. Eshenbaugh, AIA completed this project while an Associate with Dekker/ Perich/ Sabatini.  Dwayne’s role was Project Manager and Design Architect.