CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

Showcasing Green Architecture Made From Sustainably Managed Arkansas Forests

Connecting Communities to Forests Through Art With the House of Trees Exhibit

Why this Project Matters

Traditional construction is a major contributor to carbon dioxide CO2 emissions, with the built environment responsible for nearly 50% of annual global emissions. Locally sourced materials from SFI certified, sustainably managed forests provide a greener alternative to traditional building materials like concrete and steel, all while storing carbon, and providing beautiful spaces for us to work, learn, and live. The LEVENBETTS pavilion project is an interactive Architecture at Home exhibit that provides a setting for contemplation, community outreach, and experiential learning. The exhibit seeks to inspire awareness of where building materials are sourced and the future of sustainable innovative design. Visitors will explore the serious environmental and economic impact of building and the importance of making sustainable housing more accessible. The pavilion and exhibit space will provide an innovative and inviting setting for community events, such as Project Learning Tree programs, that advance forest literacy and increase awareness of the many benefits of forests in urban and rural communities.

How the Project Connects Communities to Local Forests and Highlights Green Buildings

Free to visit and open to all, visitors will be able to see and touch the innovative designs made from local trees and learn about sustainable forest practices and products. By showcasing wood products from regional forests, the project makes direct connections to the forest through material and experience, and underlines that green homes start with healthy forests. The pavilion itself is a case study in how architecture, engineering, and construction are deeply connected with the continuum of benefits provided by regional forests. The pavilion will become a physical representation of sustainable forestry supply chains with countless benefits for local communities. Crystal Bridges hopes to continue these conversations with a future symposium for forestry professionals from the forestry and architecture communities to highlight tangible, real-world applications for sustainable wood-based construction and designs.

SFI’s Contribution

The SFI Community Grant Program is supporting the project by leveraging SFI Implementation Committee outreach to the architecture, engineering, and construction community about the project and benefits of building with SFI‑certified products. By connecting the project to environmental education and PLT programming, pavilion and exhibit visitors will gain awareness of forest literacy and green jobs resources that will enhance the museum’s ability to reach underserved and rural communities.

Partners

This partnership includes Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; architectural firm LEVENBETTS; SFI-certified organization Resource Management Service, LLC; and PLT Arkansas state sponsor, Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation.

• Project lead: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative
• LEVENBETTS
• Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation
• Resource Management Service, LLC (SFI-certified organization)

Related Information

Arkansas SIC Partners with Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation for PLT Workshops

Crystal Bridges Museum debuts five house prototypes that take on Northwest Arkansas’s housing crisis

About Crystal Bridges

The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Founded by philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton, Crystal Bridges is a public non-profit charitable organization that receives more than 675,000 guests each year. The museum opened in 2011 and welcomes all with free admission to explore five miles of sculpture and walking trails that link the museum’s 120-acre/49-hectare park to downtown Bentonville, Arkansas.
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