Summer Star Wildlife Sanctuary Trailhead House

Boylston, Massachusetts

Hand Elevation Sketch of the Trailhead House

Situated within forty-five acres of natural land in Boylston, Massachusetts, this 5,000 square-foot, LEED Gold certified Trailhead House serves as a visitor center and educational gateway to a wildlife sanctuary and 1.75-mile trail loop. On a site rescued from a 32-lot residential development, the core mission of the wildlife sanctuary, which is open to the public free of charge, is to protect, care and rehabilitate wildlife, and to offer a place for education, observation, recreation and self-reflection. The wildlife sanctuary’s loop-trail connects to a larger network of conservation areas. This effort links critical wildlife habitats, maintains wildlife corridors, and sustains ecological vitality. The sanctuary is collaborating with Mass Audubon and the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University to provide programs for visitors.

The Trailhead House reflects a high degree of sensitivity to the original site with the building footprint and exterior facade responding to large glacial boulders found on site. Inside the Trailhead House you will find a mix of exhibit spaces, video and meeting rooms, an art gallery, theatre, and a grand scale glazed “tree room”. Inspired by old pioneers like Malcolm Wells, and new initiatives like the Living Building Challenge, the Trailhead House physically manifests these ideals by generously incorporating a wealth of sustainable gestures not limited to photovoltaic panels, green roofs with indigenous plantings, thermal shutters, composting toilets, reclaimed wood harvested from the site and a rain-water pool among many other impactful systems. The site design also incorporates many low-impact, sustainable techniques including permeable pavement and a roof runoff used in underground fire protection and irrigation tanks.

Landscape Architect

Klopfer Martin Design Group

Civil Engineer

Outback Engineering, Inc.

Structural Engineer

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

MEP Engineer

Allied Consulting Engineering Services, Inc.

Geotechnical Engineer

McPhail Associates, LLC

Seismic Refraction Survey

Hager-Richter Geoscience, Inc.

Sustainability Consultant

The Green Engineer, LLP

Code Consultant

Building Code Consulting, LLC

Lighting Constultant

Ripman Lighting Consultants

Design with Nature

Composition

The Trailhouse design, in accordance with the Wildlife Sanctuary program, is centered upon an interpretive and immersive experience into nature, not the least for urban children and the elderly who regularly lack such experiences. Thus, accommodation has been made to provide engaging options and accessible experiences for visitors of all levels and abilities. The location is handicapped accessible, and there is a half-mile wheelchair trail.

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Down to the Details

Trailhead House meets its foremost design challenge of blending with its surroundings by adopting organic forms, inverted slopes, and faceted masses that promote harmony, sustainability, and reverence for the landscape. The project embodies its benefactor’s belief that the land is nature’s home and people are guests responsible for its protection.