The Pavilion at the Highlands is designed to deepen how visitors experience and connect with Blandford Nature Center’s restored landscape. Once a golf course, the site has been thoughtfully returned to a natural environment where native ecosystems are reestablished and people are invited to engage with the land in a more meaningful way — and this project builds on that vision.

At the heart of the project is a naturescape that reflects and reinforces this transformation. The nature-inspired playscape and surrounding site elements are intentionally designed to echo the restored environment, encouraging exploration, curiosity and unstructured interaction with natural materials. Together with the pavilion, these features create a cohesive experience where learning, play and place are rooted in the landscape itself.

The pavilion serves as a welcoming, functional destination for gathering, rest and outdoor education, supported by site improvements including a resurfaced parking area. A custom-designed kiosk will act as both a visual landmark and an interpretive feature, helping orient visitors while strengthening their understanding of the site’s ecological restoration.

Construction is progressing in phases, with the majority of work completed before winter and final paving and landscaping wrapping up in early spring ahead of the anticipated opening.