The Sacramento and San Joaquin River deltas converge in an estuary that serves as a refuge for millions of migrating birds every year. The estuary provides a crucial habitat unique to the region, a stop-over resting area along the Pacific Flyway stretching from Alaska to Patagonia. A masterplan area of over 1,000 acres invites the public to engage with and be educated about the vital importance of the migration route, waterfowl, and the fragility of the delta ecosystem. The interpretive museum complex is focused on a raised land mass within the reeds. Half of the building program is buried underground in green-roofed bunker spaces. The exhibits are punctuated by glass observation blinds protruding up out of the ground to provide views out across the wetlands. The landscape is pulled fight up to the glass allowing intimate encounters with nature. These pauses provide moments of contemplation, and space for visitors to reflect on what they have learned while engaging up close with the wildlife. Every season and each month represents a constant evolution with a changing collection of species visiting the wetlands. Migrating species change throughout the year, offering new experiences for visitors following the ebb and flow of the seasons.
