Completed in July 2009, the Bob and Phyllis Mace Memorial Watchable Wildlife Center at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point, Ore., provides a home for exhibits and educational programs focused on non-game animals that can be observed in the wilderness, in addition to providing general meeting space for local community groups and trade shows. A pre-engineered steel building from American Buildings Co. was selected because it provides large flexible openspan interior spaces for meetings, exhibits and educational seminars.
The 6,000-square-foot Rigid Frame building system measures 60 feet long by 100 feet wide with 12-foot eave heights. American Buildings also supplied its Loc Seam 360 metal roof panels in Cool Reflective White.
Designed by David Thruston, AIA, the building system-along with insulated metal panels, split-face concrete block and insulated aluminum storefront and windows-creates an energy-efficient, inviting and contemporary exterior design. The cost-effectiveness of the building system allowed for more money to be spent on the interior spaces, which use adjustable lighting, exposed natural alder wood siding, colored concrete and lighted display cases to create a warm and friendly environment for children and adults to see the nature exhibits and listen to lectures. The state-ofthe-art information data infrastructure makes this facility ideal for interactive computer exhibits and other venues from annual high-tech trade shows to Internet-based educational programs. The photovoltaic solar array on the adjacent pavilion roof will be expanded to include the south roof slope of the new building, reinforcing its environmentally conscious message.
Designed to help local communities discover the economic potential of nature-related recreation, the center is named after Robert and Phyllis Mace. A former Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife deputy director, Robert coined the phase “watchable wildlife” to replace “nongame” as a reference to non-hunted species. He donated the land to the fairgrounds and helped plan the building before his death in 2006. The facility overlooks a pond named for Phyllis, who passed away in 2005.
Bob and Phyllis Mace Memorial Watchable Wildlife Center, Central Point, Ore.
Architect: David Thruston, AIA, White City, Ore.
Metal building, roof and wall panels: American Buildings Co., Eufaula, Ala., www.americanbuildings.com, Circle #77
