FERNALD PRESERVE
VISITORS CENTER

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 

Client: U.S. Department of Energy​

Location: Harrison, Ohio

Size: 26-acre site / 1,050-acre property

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​LEED Certification level : LEED Platinum

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This roughly 1,050-acre site, formerly a secret uranium processing facility, became national headline news when environmental contamination was detected in 1984.  The U.S. Department of Energy and subcontractors decontaminated the facility, removed all but two buildings, and shipped contaminants to disposal sites or buried them on site.  The site was transformed into a nature preserve with wetlands, prairies and forests.

 

Glaserworks Architects transformed an existing rectangular steel warehouse into the new Visitors Center.  The entry walk and arrival space inside the building are aligned with the sunrise at the summer solstice -- The solstice is symbolic of rebirth and renewal. and this project is the beginning of a new period in the history of this land.

 

The Visitors Center entry garden includes rain gardens, interpretive panels, restored wetlands, bioswales, and walking trails.​