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Between the pavilions on the south side of the building, new neoclassical columns recalling those of the original Steinhart Aquarium frame the alligator tank, where original tiles and a bronze seahorse railing also preserve some of the character of the previous facility. On the southeast side of the museum, a Foucault pendulum dating to 1951 has been restored to its original glory and stands next to the state-of-the-art planetarium.

Green to the Bones

While only two walls from the old Academy building were integrated into the new structure, little of the demolition waste was wasted: over 90 percent was recycled or reused. And recycled materials permeate the new building. The structural steel contains 95 percent recycled content; the concrete contains 30 percent fly ash and 20 percent slag, both industrial by-products; and the insulation was made from recycled denim.

At least half of the wood in the new Academy is Forest Stewardship Council-certified as sustainably harvested, and one fifth of the building materials were manufactured within 500 miles (805 kilometers).

Other green features include HVAC heat recovery systems, reverse osmosis humidification systems, operable windows in staff offices, and photosensor-controlled artificial lights. Low-flow fixtures and the use of reclaimed water from the City of San Francisco are expected to reduce overall potable water use by 78 percent.

Lively Exhibits

The design team has skillfully woven history, live exhibits featuring 38,000 organisms, and interactive displays that can change as quickly as scientific knowledge itself.

Two 90-foot- (27-meter-) diameter domes flank the central piazza. To the east is the Morrison Planetarium dome, with a high-definition projection system and the ability to run a live feed from NASA.

To the west is the rainforest dome, in which live exhibits imitate the rainforest ecosystems of Borneo, Madagascar, Costa Rica, and the Amazon. The walkways winding around the interior of the four-story glass dome have such tight curves that a roller coaster company was brought on board as a consultant to perfect the design. From the first floor of the dome, an elevator takes visitors to a tunnel-shaped aquarium representing a flooded forest floor in the Amazon.

Below the ground floor, visitors will find the new Steinhart Aquarium, designed by Thinc and Urban A&O with an emphasis on tactile, sculptural spaces that create the impression of exploring underwater landscapes. The Academy now boasts the deepest coral aquarium in the world, with a 210,000-gallon (795,000-liter) tank that houses a recreated Philippine ecosystem. Part of this exhibit features a crawl hole that leads to a 360-degree bulb, simulating the experience of scuba diving for visitors.

This living museum not only provides a safe haven for the Academy's precious cargo of over 20 million specimens, and modern facilities for its research department, but also places its team of scientists in direct contact with museum visitors. The public can view actual lab research through a glass wall on the building's ground floor, and can see into office spaces above the entry hall to the aquarium.

The museum itself is also used as a teaching tool about sustainability, with displays explaining the behind-the-scenes features and functions of the building.

Renzo Piano says he hopes the new California Academy of Sciences facility will communicate to many generations to come that life on earth is at once beautiful, awe-inspiring, and tremendously fragile.

Rachel Grossman writes about travel, fine arts, architecture, and interior design from San Francisco. She holds a graduate degree in modern art history from the Courtauld Institute.

Architecture: Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Genoa, Italy, and Stantec Architecture, San Francisco, CA (formerly Chong Partners Architecture)
Project Manager and Owner Rep: DR Young Associates, San Rafael, CA
Engineering and Sustainability: Arup, San Francisco, CA, and Teecom Design Group, Oakland, CA
General Contractor: Webcor Builders, San Mateo, CA
Landscape Architecture: SWA Group, Sausalito, CA
Living Roof Consultants: Rana Creek Living Architecture, Carmel Valley, CA
Planetarium Technical Consultant: Visual Acuity, Brighton, England

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SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The rear of the Academy, connected by a short bridge to the park. Photo: Mark Schwettmann Extra Large Image Photovoltaic roof corner detail. Photo: Dale Danley Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE A cable truss supports the undulations of the Academy's central skylight. Photo: William Liow Extra Large Image California Academy of Sciences north elevation drawing. Image: © Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) Extra Large Image California Academy of Sciences section drawing looking southeast. Image: © RPBW Extra Large Image California Academy of Sciences ground-floor plan drawing. Image: © RPBW Extra Large Image California Academy of Sciences upper-floor plan drawing. Image: © RPBW Extra Large Image California Academy of Sciences basement plan drawing. Image: © RPBW Extra Large Image Skylight truss detail section drawing. Image: © RPBW Extra Large Image Green roof dome detail section drawing Image: © RPBW Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.