Headwaters to Ocean partner River Systems Institute (RSI) is currently reviewing plans developed by Lake | Flato for a new visitors and discovery center.
Lake | Flato is a national leader in the master planning and design of visitor centers with over a dozen projects completed at locations throughout the country. The design process starts with a comprehensive review of the environmental and cultural context, and employs sustainable strategies unique to each region and site. Architectural features are created to enhance the landscape, educate the public and foster a sense of connectedness between visitors and the natural environment.
The new center will feature a state-of-the-art high-tech discovery room that will immerse students and other visitors in an array of educational displays and educational work stations. There will also be aquaria, interactive displays, classrooms, an auditorium with multimedia and 3D technology, and work areas for scientists.
Andrew Sansom, RSI Director, envisions the high-tech discovery room as a prototype for teaching innovation.
“Today’s students fit use of technology into almost everything they do, especially now since mobile devices have become so widespread. What better place to build on that than an advaced technology center where we hope to integrate watershed learning opportunities and tools right onto the devices students bring with them,” said Sansom.
* * *
H2O (Headwaters to Ocean) is a cooperative project sponsored by the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University and funding partner, the Ewing Halsell Foundation which supports the project H2O. H2O is an experiential, technology-enhanced education program focused on water, from headwaters to the ocean (https://water-texas.org)