Housed in a vacant resort restaurant located within Oak Mountain State Park, the Alabama Wildlife Center rehabilitates all species of birds including birds of prey with the intent of reintroducing them into their natural environment. They also maintain an education program through four resident birds.

The existing restaurant facility was renovated to accommodate this new occupancy, but after only a brief time of operation, the need for more functional recovery space was apparent. ArchitectureWorks was engaged to help program the facility, renovate the existing songbird recovery space, and develop a new Raptor Wing that would reflect the building’s purpose. Primarily housing birds of prey, the Raptor Wing is organized by a central hall flanked by flight cages, which are all protected by a large ‘winged’ roof structure. Resourceful use of basic building materials and conventional construction methods kept the project within the tight budget while providing an inspired solution.

AWARDS

AIA of Birmingham Design Awards, Honorable Mention, 2000

AIA of Alabama Design Awards, Honorable Mention, 2001