Groundbreaking for National Aviary Expansion Set for Earth Day 2009

Groundbreaking for the National Aviary’s $23 million expansion and renovation project takes place Earth Day, April 22, 2009, moving forward plans that will revitalize the 56-year old facility, enable highly interactive programming, and improve visitor amenities.

The project includes construction of a new FliteZone™ Theater outfitted with a high-definition video screen, sound and moveable stages for free-flight indoor bird shows and educational programming, and an open-air rooftop theater that will allow for bird-of-prey lure-flying demonstrations and special events. A public café, classrooms, new exhibits, and the creation of a welcoming main entrance facing Arch Street will greatly improve accessibility and the Aviary’s ability to service school groups, tours and individual visitors.

The facility’s overall reconstruction, including expanded building wings and new façades, is a project of SPRINGBOARD Architecture Communication Design LLC of Pittsburgh; the FliteZone™ Theater, Rooftop Raptor Encounter theater and new interior exhibit spaces have been designed by Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. of St. Louis (PGAV).

Demolition will begin late summer, with an estimated completion date of fall 2010.
“We are delighted to present plans for a wildlife encounter space unlike any other,” says Gary Wilson, National Aviary board member and chair of the facilities committee. “In the new theater, birds will dramatically demonstrate natural behaviors as they soar above the audience to and from multiple stages representing different natural environments. Lighting, climate control and video projections will further immerse guests in the habitats of the birds and blur the line between audience and performance.”

Construction of expanded building wings with new façades on the east and west sides of the National Aviary will give the structure a cohesive design. And for the first time, the Aviary will have an appropriately located, recognizable main entrance, ending confusion over access to the building.

“The new building creates an iconic front and welcoming front door that reflects its function as a building that houses and celebrates birds and the nature of birds,” says Paul Rosenblatt, principal, SPRINGBOARD Design. “The wings of the building are skinned in a diaphanous metal scrim that will subtly glow with a changing palette of lighting. Overall, our goal is to create a more experiential environment, one that stimulates visitors’ imaginations about birds, nature and the world around us.”

The National Aviary will seek Silver LEED certification for the entire project, including the FliteZone™ Theater and its green rooftop space.

In addition to the theater space, school groups who had previously squeezed into cramped sprung structures and a single classroom will now have access to three classrooms that can be opened up into one or two larger rooms suitable for classes that incorporate live bird demonstrations.

“Through this new theater experience, visitors will see, hear and feel the presence of birds, nature’s most colorful and dynamic representatives, furthering the National Aviary’s goal to inspire positive and respectful connections to nature among educators, students and visitors,” says National Aviary Board Chairman Mike Flinn. “The reinvigorated facility will not only be a cultural gem for the people and families of Pittsburgh to enjoy, it will also become a leading destination for out-of-town visitors, furthering the Aviary’s national status and commitment to excellence.”

Groundbreaking for the National Aviary’s $23 million expansion and renovation project takes place at the National Aviary on Earth Day, April 22, 2009, 10:30 am.