Lizard Rock Designs and the staff and advisory board of Flandrau participated in a series of concentrated work sessions to define program, exhibit ideas, and initial massing ideas for the new facility. The project will include 130,000 s.f. of exhibits, classrooms, observatories, a planetarium, and support spaces. The science center will showcase important work being done by University of Arizona scientists.
Initial massing studies explored the possibility of combining traditional Territorial style detailing and proportions with state-of-the-art technologies and sustainable building techniques. LRD provided plans, renderings and written descriptions that assisted the U of A in obtaining a $250,000 planning grant from the City of Tucson, and later funding for construction of the project.
