History & Facilities
The Bunker Interpretive Center, at the Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve provides approximately 5,000 square feet of space which serves as a home base for formal programs, a study center for the college community, and an educational resource for casual visitors to the preserve. Included in that space are a laboratory classroom, a multi-purpose room, and a display hall. The multipurpose room, depending on its configuration, can serve as a lecture hall or as an exploratory space for elementary classes. The display hall will house permanent and temporary displays to help visitors better understand the structure and function of the ecosystem preserve.
One purpose of the new facility is help visitors understand their role in the world as stewards of creation. Toward that end, it was decided early in the design of the new building that it should express responsible stewardship in both its construction and its operation. Says preserve director Randall Van Dragt: "When I first wrote criteria for the building, it included making it as environmentally sounds as possible." As a target for environmentally sustainable design, the designers adopted the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards of the US Green Building Council and create a building that received gold certification from the USGBC.
Reservation Policy
The Bunker Interpretive Center is not available for rental for private events such as retreats, weddings, parties, etc.
For information on scheduling educational programs please contact Jeanette Henderson at (616) 526 - 7601 or preserve@calvin.edu.
