National Children’s Museum by Pelli Clarke

Did you know that there are 48 million children under 13 in the US? Well, the new National Children´s Museum is for all of them, inspiring them to care about and improve the world. The design, by renowed architects Pelli Clarke was unveiled a couple of days ago, and includes over 150,000 sqf to house permanent exhibitions by three prominent design firms – Amaze Design, Roto Studios, and Aldrich Pears.

After the break, more images and the green features of this LEED-certified project.

The 150,000 square-foot, LEED-certified building will be built using recycled and sustainable materials and will incorporate a number of green features in the new building, including:

• A Wind Turbine: The building’s wind turbine, a symbol of NCM’s commitment to sustainable and renewable energy, will be a source of power.
• A Sun Reflector: A series of reflective panels on the roof of the arrival space will reflect sunlight, minimize artificial lighting, and reduce energy loads during the day.
• A Living Wall: The Museum’s south facing façade features a cable and tray system to support a framework for a living, green wall. The Living Wall will shade the building from the bright, hot southern sun, helping to cool the building and reduce energy demands.
• A Green Roof: A green roof system will provide for sedums and small scale planting, absorb rainwater (reducing storm run off), improve thermal insulation, and reduce the “heat island” effect.
• Recycled Materials: The new Museum will use recycled structural steel and some recycled brick from demolished buildings.