What Happens Here Matters
Ohnell Environmental Park
A cutting edge Living Machine is now operating at Manhattanville.
Manhattanville's new Ohnell Environmental Park truly honors the mission of the college to be responsible to the global community. At the dedication ceremony in September President Richard A. Berman spoke about the Environmental Park as a study center that will "enable a full and active engagement with the world," for Manhattanville College students. "The Environmental Park is a sustainable way to preserve our past and present and protect our future," he said.
The showpiece of the Park is the Environmental classroom designed by Maya Lin. It is an LEED-compliant, non-invasive structure made of glass and sustainable harvested wood. Angled sun-shade louvers, low-E insulated windows, energy star reflective roofing, and recycled cellulose insulation batts are among some of the materials and systems used in this project to improve its sustainable performance. Materials used to construct the classroom help to relieve interior temperatures during the day so that no other mechanical devices are required for heating and cooling.
In her remarks at the dedication, Maya Lin described the classroom as a study center that will involve students in monitoring the weather, water and seasonal changes. She later told a reporter, "the building has to psychologically connect you to the out of doors," and that architecture is a "frame to look at the natural world." This project is the first external structure on a college campus for Ms. Lin, who designed the U.S. Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In addition to the new environmental classroom, Lin has also restored the historic Ann Holladay Stone Chapel. The chapel's renovated stonework and translucent roof provide a spectacular space to be used as a contemplative center for students and the community.
The environmental project also includes a "Living Machine" created by Ecologist Jonathan Todd. The new classroom building adjacent to the chapel sits as a backdrop to the living machine filtration pool, which becomes a part of the architecture. As a vital component of the building, the "Living Machine" collects and filters rain water and returns it to the wetlands and nearby stream.
Associate Professor of Biology Nancy Todd, who along with her students, has been actively involved in the creation of the Environmental Park says, "The restoration of the Ann Holladay Stone Chapel, the construction of a Living Machine and a green classroom represent a truly unique project for Manhattanville. We are preserving the past, restoring the present and building for the future." Professor Todd is now teaching classes in the Environmental Park.