09.27.08

After a long wait, the California Academy of Sciences finally opened up their new building, designed by Renzo Piano. Karmen and I went on opening day to tour the new building. Mistake. I didn't know admission was free on opening day. The line was the longest I've ever stood in. We got in line around 9am and got our tickets at 2pm, for admission at 5pm.

The actual building was okay. Not to say it was bad, but I was expecting more from Piano. The detailing is excellent, but Piano's graceful curves are not readily visible from the ground though certainly experienced from the interior. The green roof is comprised of several hills, which represent the hills of San Francisco, I believe. I did hope that the visitors would be able to experience more of the green roof than just the one small section. The openings between the massive concrete structures were very light and airy, which connected the inside space to the park areas outside.

The sustainability features were fantastic which holds true to the mission of the institution. Features such as the massive green roof, photovoltaic arrays, and passive cooling all help the building achieve LEED-Platinum.

Artistic concentration: ?
Low

Equipment:
Canon 300D
Canon EF 17-40f/4L
Canon EF 50f/1.4
Tokina 24-200f/3.5