Tumamac Habitat Center Connects to the Environment / Tucson, Arizona

The Tumamac Habitat Center designed by Daniel Caven is situated near the foot of the Tumamac Hill, within Tucson Arizona. The site is between the city and the Tumamac Hill, creating a disconnection between city and natural environment. The center is designed around the idea of adaption to its surroundings and its inhabitants.  Just as plants and animals in the desert have to adapt to changing environments through water retention and swelling, the Tumamac Habitat Center adapts and evolves to its daily usage.

The habitat center is programmed through three different sections, education, entertainment, and research, that change in floor space for the need or occupancy. The three spaces are connected through a common corridor that is designed for gallery, office space, residence, and other permanent spaces. The Tumamac Habitat Center enhances the experience of the site by directing occupants towards the hill and desert environment while steering away from the street and city. Users are submerged through the entrances to the underground disconnecting them from the street view, and then exposed to  framed views towards the hill. The spaces are designed for a sense isolation and attention to the environment. The Tumamac Habitat Center’s architecture can act as a symbol of adaption to the environment and the public can start to establish a relationship to the living environment and how the environment adapts to its time and place.