Heneghan Peng’s Giant’s Causeway Visitor Center is a Stone Sanctuary on the Cliffs of Ireland

Dublin-based <a href="http://www.hparc.com/" target="_blank">Heneghan Peng Architects</a> have created a gorgeous visitor center for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant's_Causeway" target="_blank">Giant's Causeway</a> - Northern Ireland's only <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNESCO" target="_blank">UNESCO</a> World Heritage Site. One of Ireland's most popular tourist attractions, the site called for a building that was strong, unique, and non-intrusive to the incredible panoramic seaside views. Built from the same <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columnar_basalt#Columnar_basalt" target="_blank">basalt</a> that formed the incredible coastal causeway columns, the visitor center is at one with nature. It blends into the landscape as a breathtaking collection of peaceful towers packed with <a href="http://www.breeam.org/about.jsp?id=66" target="_blank">BREEAM</a> certified green features.

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant's_Causeway">Giant's Causeway</a> is a coastal area where about 40,000 basalt columns sprung up from the earth due to an ancient volcanic eruption. The remarkable collection of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basalt" target="_blank">hexagonal rocks</a> has been named the fourth greatest <a href="http://www.talktalk.co.uk/travel/uk_breaks/features/top-10-natural-wonders-of-the-uk.html" target="_blank">natural wonder</a> in the United Kingdom.

The site is one of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland" target="_blank">Northern Ireland's</a> most popular tourist spots, so <a href="http://www.hparc.com/work/giants-causeway-visitors-centre/" target="_blank">Heneghan Peng</a> sought to create a visitor center that was informational, accessible, and respectful of the surrounding environment.

The 1,800-square-meter facility consists of two levels, and its layout blocks the parking lot from most scenic views. The main building is made from the same quarried basalt material found nearby to seamlessly intertwine the building with its surroundings.

The visitor center's <a href="http://www.breeam.org/about.jsp?id=66" target="_blank">BREEAM Excellent Rating</a> (a British environmental assessment system similar to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design" target="_blank">LEED</a>) is due mainly to its strategically deployed systems.

A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy" target="_blank">geothermal heating</a> system is installed throughout the parking lot, while a meter of <a href="http://educate-yourself.org/dc/earthpipeconstruction.shtml" target="_blank">earth pipes</a> next to the main building helps to cool the center.

The center's recycled concrete walls also insulate the building, while rainwater recovery and a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-roof/">green roof</a> make the best use of Ireland's heavy rainfall.