Photo: Rio Grande Nature Center State Park designed by Architect Antoine Predock

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Come and help celebrate the 30th anniversary of Rio Grande Nature Center State Park and Albuquerque's very own world-renowned architect who designed it. Join us for a talk by architect, Antoine Predock on Saturday, October 27th at 1:30 p.m. at the Rio Grande Nature Center's education building.

"We are delighted to host a talk by Antoine Predock, architect of our building," said Beth Dillingham, Park Superintendent. "Our visitors comment on the design elements of the building often and it will be such a treat to hear what inspired its creation."

Antoine Predock will discuss his inspiration for the design of the Nature Center. Predock won the highest honor in Architecture in 2006 when he received the American Institute of Architects' Gold Medal. He has also received the life-time achievement award from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Mr. Predock has designed buildings that have been built all over the world, including the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, the Xianfan City Museum in China, as well as the San Diego Padres Ballpark in California.

Mr. Predock's design premise was that the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is a symbol of a profoundly important, but rapidly diminishing New Mexico ecosystem. The open fields are vestiges of a beautiful pastoral setting which once stretched the length of the city. Public acquisition of this site has offered a unique opportunity to maintain the important connections between the city and the river, its symbiotic agricultural development and a prime wildfowl preserve located in a migratory fly way.

The Rio Grande Nature Center was completed in 1982 and acts as an unobtrusive "blind" affording visitors, discrete panoramic views of the wildfowl areas. Seen from the main approach, the berms and bunker-like perimeter structure of rough-formed concrete blend in to the wooded environment. There is an element of army corps vernacular to the building. There is an 8-foot diameter corrugated drainage culvert forms and frames the tunnel entry into the center. Upon entering, visitors become aware of the salient feature of both the preserve and the building: vertical 8foot high water-filled tubes encircle a sunken ramped exhibit and viewing area. Light shimmers through these tubes from skylights to create an underwater effect. The ramp descends physically and symbolically to allow views of the forage areas.

The Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is located at the west end of Candelaria Road, NW in Albuquerque. The Bosque features two miles of nature trails, which wind through partially wooded areas to open sand flats alongside the Rio Grande. The park offers naturalist-led hikes, Bosque exploration, exhibits, hands-on activities, teacher workshops, seasonal classes and special events for visitors of all ages. The Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is owned by the City of Albuquerque, but managed by New Mexico State Parks as a city/state collaboration.

There is a $3 per vehicle day-use fee for this park. For more information call 344-7240 and ask for Beth Dillingham.

Celebrate New Mexico's Centennial at YOUR state parks; for more information, call 888-NMPARKS or visitwww.nmparks.com