Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation

The Gilder Center is a remarkable architectural feat that functions as both a gateway and a connector for the American Museum of Natural History. Its interior was designed by Studio Gang to mimic the experience of exploring a natural canyon, with sweeping, cavernous walls that rise five stories high. This massive, fluid space was not built using traditional construction methods. Instead, the design team utilized a technique called shotcrete, where structural concrete is sprayed directly onto rebar, allowing for complex, non-repetitive shapes that would have been impossible to create with standard forms. Interestingly, this technique was pioneered by a legendary museum naturalist and taxidermist named Carl Akeley, who developed it to create realistic animal habitats for the museum's own dioramas.