Project Wetlands Education Center

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center is located on the Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands near Great Bend, Kansas and serves as the interpretive center for this part of the central flyway. The facility is constructed in the plan form of an arc. This form is inspired by the circular encampments of Plains Indians who once inhabited the site. The spaces within include an exhibit hall, an auditorium, a classroom, a biologists suite, a gift shop and ancillary offices. The construction employs sustainable strategies, including locally manufactured brick from clays found nearby, wood framing from sustainable forests, and the use of bioswales for managing run-off from parking lots.