The centre comprises two laboratories, a library and an office. It is located in one of the oldest rainforests in the world and represents the client’s commitment to sustainable development on the island. The environmentally-friendly construction sets out to integrate technology with nature, so a steel frame and blockwork structure is clad in shiplap timber. The character of the building is unassuming and existing trees on the site have been retained. Newly planted indigenous saplings underline the foundation’s ambition of acting as 'guardian of the forest'. The open terraces are conceived to invite participation and facilitate the exchange of information, cultivating good practice in forest management and conservation.

Source:

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 2011.