Jester Park
Nature Center
The Jester Park Nature Center, a 17,792 square foot facility, serves as a welcome station, interpretative center, promoter of public health and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education, and administrative headquarters for the Polk County Conservation Board.
Working with an advisory committee composed of staff and members from the surrounding community, a feasibility plan was developed to identify the compatibility of a 14,000+ square foot facility on the site based on environmental considerations and opportunity for interpretation and site context. The sketches, site plan and floor plans illustrated a concept developed with the advisory committee and vetted by staff, creating a building that blends in with the surrounding prairie and performs at a highly sustainable level.