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The Oregon Zoo is seeking feedback on how Pacific Northwest residents connect with nature to help shape the design of a planned conservation education center.

An launched recently centers around the question: 鈥淲hat can the zoo do to encourage and equip visitors to get outdoors more?鈥� the zoo’s education curator, Grant Spickelmier, said. 鈥淭hat will influence the design and programming of the building.鈥�

The project team is in the early stages of design; the facility is slated to open in spring 2017. It will likely be divided into several buildings housing classrooms, an auditorium and visitor center surrounding a plaza and learning garden, Spickelmier said. Plans also call for an insect zoo and interactive conservation lab where visitors can learn about how zoo scientists care for endangered animals.

Portland-based Opsis Architecture and Seattle-based Jones and Jones Architecture and Landscape Architecture are designing the project. Early designs by these firms will be on display at the zoo this week.

鈥淲e’re trying to give some early ideas of how the center might look,鈥� Spickelmier said.

Portland-based Fortis Construction will be the project’s general contractor.

Initial concepts for the center call for various sustainable features, and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating is targeted, Spickelmier said. These elements will be exposed and explained to building visitors, he said.

鈥淢ost importantly, we want it to be a building that teaches,鈥� Spickelmier said.

Zoo officials are also investigating ways to make the center wildlife friendly, such as designing windows to discourage bird strikes, he said.

The center is the fifth of eight major zoo projects to receive funding from a Metro bond passed by voters in 2008.