Phipps' Welcome Center Officially Opens To Public; New Welcome Center, In Line for LEED Certification, Offers Enhanced Visitor Amenities.PITTSBURGH -- Signifying Signifyin' (slang) is an African-American rhetorical device featuring indirect communication or persuasion and the creating of new meanings for old words and signs. Signifying, in this sense, includes repetition and difference, implication and association, combining words and a major milestone in phase one of a $36.6 million expansion project, Phipps Conservatory conservatory In architecture, a heavily glazed structure, frequently attached to and directly entered from a dwelling, in which plants are protected and displayed. Unlike the greenhouse, an informal structure situated in the working area of a garden, the conservatory became and Botanical Gardens A botanical garden is a place where plants, especially ferns, conifers and flowering plants, are grown and displayed for the purposes of research, conservation, and education. today officially opened a new 10,000-square foot Welcome Center. The stunning glass-domed building opens after more than one year of construction and features a casual dining cafe, improved ticketing and an expanded gift shop. With an innovative design that embraces 112 years of history, and its commitment to the environment awaiting a Silver LEED(TM) certification, the Welcome Center is unlike any conservatory entrance in the country. "Visitors to Phipps in 2005 will cross the threshold into a new era and a new Welcome Center that celebrates its heritage while embracing the future," Richard V. Piacentini, executive director said. "We truly believe this Welcome Center, as well as our future improvements, will improve immensely the experience of our guests and make Phipps a national attraction." The Welcome Center, designed by IKM IKM Institut Kemahiran MARA IKM Information and Knowledge Management (International Conference) IKM Institut Kimia Malaysia (Malaysian Institute of Chemistry) Incorporated, replaces a pavilion built in the 1960s and complements the original design of the century-old Conservatory. Built both above and below ground for aesthetic and environmental reasons, the Welcome Center features a green roof and will be surrounded by lush gardens. "The Phipps Welcome Center is a beautiful and contemporary addition to a grand historical landmark," said Jim Stalder, Chairman of the Board of Trustees board of trustees Politics The posse of thugs who oversee an institution's administration. See Board of directors. . "However, behind the beauty is an environmentally-conscious structure that strives to lessen less·en v. less·ened, less·en·ing, less·ens v.tr. 1. To make less; reduce. 2. Archaic To make little of; belittle. v.intr. To become less; decrease. the impact on its surroundings while maintaining historical significance." The Welcome Center is accessed by a sloping promenade flanked by an installation of thousands of brightly-colored flags that will remain until permanent beds are planted. Once inside, guests will enjoy the large admission and ticketing area, visitor lockers, new restroom facilities and a grand stairway stairway or staircase Series or flight of steps that provides a means of moving from one level to another. The earliest stairways seem to have been built with walls on both sides, as in Egyptian pylons dating from the 2nd millennium BC. to the Palm Court and exhibits. While much of the Welcome Center is below street level, its domed, 46-foot roof fills the facility with ample natural light. An important visitor amenity a·men·i·ty n. pl. a·men·i·ties 1. The quality of being pleasant or attractive; agreeableness. 2. Something that contributes to physical or material comfort. 3. in the Welcome Center is its new 78-seat casual-dining cafe operated by Pittsburgh's big Burrito Restaurant Group. The cafe features locally-grown food items, and is environmentally-conscious in its food preparation and recycling recycling, the process of recovering and reusing waste products—from household use, manufacturing, agriculture, and business—and thereby reducing their burden on the environment. practices. The Welcome Center also boasts an enhanced 2,000-square foot gift shop that includes a variety of garden-inspired, eco-friendly gifts. "The Welcome Center's amenities will not only position Phipps as the finest Conservatory in the country," added Piacentini. "But it will create a wonderful experience for the more than 200,000 people we expect to visit us in 2005." This sustainable building only signifies the beginning of Phipps' growth. By the fall of 2006, a 12,000 square-foot Tropical Forest exhibit will be unveiled. The forest will transform every two years to demonstrate tropical environments around the world. Plants of Thailand will be the first featured forest. Also included in renovation plans are a special events pavilion, production greenhouses, and an educational and administrative building. For more information about Phipps' expansion and capital campaign, visit www.phipps.conservatory.org. |
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