On May 15, the Utah Museum of Natural History unveiled the design for its new museum, created by Polshek Partnership Architects of New York City and Gillies Stransky Brems Smith Architects of Salt Lake City.

The project will be built at the edge of the University of Utah campus on a “bench” site that offers breathtaking views of Great Salt Lake and the Oquirrhs Mountains. The parti for the building is to serve as the “trailhead” for the State of Utah, and, along with the collection it houses, “to create an inspirational visitor experience and encourage curiosity and inquiry.” The project is registered as a LEED® Gold project, and as such will incorporate sustainable strategies that include minimal disruption to the 17-acre site, retention of storm water through green roofs and detention lakes below the parking area, use of recyclable and recycled materials, restoration of existing hiking trails, and future integration of a photovoltaic array. The museum is slated to break ground in July and be completed by early 2011.