Anza Borrego

The desert location and tight budget were the impetus to use straw bales as the primary construction material for the Archaeology Center, because they create a super-insulated envelope, are volunteer-friendly, and are a relatively inexpensive, sustainable material. Because the building obtains natural light through the large north facing glazing, and is passively cooled when hot air rises inside the building and out of the clerestory tower, artificial lighting and cooling demands at peak hours are reduced.