The Center offers a glimpse of how people can live in harmony with nature. The combination of gardens and nature at Shangri La presents a serene oasis for retreat and renewal, as well as the opportunity to explore, discover and learn.
Hurricane Rita devastated Shangri La in 2005 at the beginning of its construction phase. Rather than conceding a setback, team leaders viewed the situation as an opportunity for salvaging natural materials, as many fallen trees were incorporated into the construction of facilities as well as being harvested for lumber on other projects. Mobile milling equipment was used to salvage the lumber, which is used throughout Shangri La for benches, Orientation Center furniture, and the main pavilion.
Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center
Lake+Flato, LEED-NC Platinum
Orange Texas 2005
As the first project in Texas to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum certification for LEED-NC Platinum, the team was paving the way for future LEED projects in Texas.