James Clarkson Environmental Discovery Center, White Lake

Designed by MSI Design. The James Clarkson Environmental Discovery Center is dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the natural environment, educating users on the importance of biodiversity, native habitats, and environmental protection.

The James Clarkson Environmental Discovery Center is envisioned as a place of learning, play, and gathering that seeks to open a window on the beauty and diversity of the natural world that exists in Southeast Michigan. The 70-acre center, located within Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority’s (HCMA) 2,215 acre Indian Springs Metropark is dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the natural environment. Situated at the headwaters to the Huron River, the interpretation of the area’s hydrology is articulated through the rehabilitation and creation of wetland, prairie, and forest ecosystems. These ecosystems establish an ecological vocabulary, revealing the influences and processes that shaped the Midwestern landscape. The center’s infrastructure elements are sited to optimize the visitor’s interaction with the natural world, while preserving and protecting its sensitive ecological areas and endangered species.

This project has an ASLA honor award 2008, for more photos and information please click here.