Sited at Washington Avenue and within the berm that separates the Brooklyn Museum parking lot from the Botanic Garden, the Visitor Center provides clear orientation and access to the major garden precincts such as the Japanese Garden and the Cherry Esplanade. The Center includes an exhibition gallery, information lobby, orientation room, gift shop, café, and an events space. Like the gardens themselves, the building is experienced cinematically and is never seen in its entirety. The serpentine form of the Visitor Center is generated by the garden’s existing pathways. The primary entry to the building from Washington Avenue is visible from the street; a secondary route from the top of the berm slides through the visitor center, frames views of the Japanese Garden, and descends to the main level of the Garden. The curved glass walls of the center’s gallery are mediating surfaces between the building and the landscape. The fritted surfaces of the glass filter light and provide veiled views into the Garden. By contrast, the north side of the center is inscribed into a berm. The steel-framed superstructure adjusts to the curved plan and gives shape to the undulating roof canopy. The building utilizes earth mass and spectrally selective fritted glass to achieve a high-performing building envelope, minimizing heat gain and maximizing natural illumination. A geothermal heat-exchange system is used to heat and cool the interior spaces. Additional sustainable strategies include a green roof, storm water management, and rainwater collection that irrigate a series of landscaped terraces.