The Tampa Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently recognized Lunz Prebor Fowler Architects for excellence in design with a Merit Award for the design of the Polk County Nature Discovery Center. Only 10 projects by local firms were recognized this year by AIA Tampa Bay.

The Nature Discovery center is a joint venture between the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Polk County Natural Resource Department. The complex of four buildings situated on over 1,200 acres in central Polk County serves as a “hub” for students and visitors to explore the natural resources and learn about the wide array of ecosystems present on the site. The project was designed as an environmental and aesthetic reflection of the past. The complex of buildings fosters the passive environmental systems of the old cracker style while using contemporary materials and energy savings measures to elevate the environmental consciousness of the visitor. The site is currently open to the public for recreational and educational uses.

The Tampa Bay AIA Chapter consists of architectural firms from the Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus and Sumter counties.