the waterworks education center
architect
bnim
exhibit design/build
core design studio
category
museums
completed
2010
The WaterWorks Education Center is a regional water museum for the City of Houston located at the Northeast Water Purification Plant near Lake Houston. The focus is on educating students and other visitors about the water treatment process, conservation, and environmental stewardship. The lighting design team worked closely with the exhibit designer to ensure that the lighting both supported the overall goals of the space and contributed to a completely immersive experience. Blue ambient light throughout contributed to the watery feel and allowed the white accent light of exhibits to stand out; industrial fixtures were chosen in one area to simulate the feeling of moving through a pipeline; projectors and moving lights were used in key areas to accentuate the message and enhance understanding of the water lifecycle.