ENCINITAS, Calif. October 2007 — Lux Art Institute, slated to be the first LEED-certified “green” museum in California, will open its doors on November 11, 2007.

Designed by renowned architect, Renzo Zecchetto, AIA, the contemporary crafted “Artist Pavilion” is the first permanent structure for the ambitious Lux Art Institute that has been more than nine years in the making.

The building, expected to receive a LEED-certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, is nestled amidst a wildlife preserve above the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Preserve and blends seamlessly into the native landscape. Zecchetto designed Lux to have minimal impact on its natural surroundings while capturing the views of the lagoon and vistas of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

The structure, made with energy-efficient solar panels and recycled materials, is designed to use renewable-energy sources (making up more than a third of the Institute’s energy use), green cleaning products, bike racks, ample recycle bins, and multiple skylights providing natural sunlight. Lux’s mission to be “green” will also extend to the landscape with a native xeroscaped garden.

Lux is one of the first facilities in the United States with an artist-in-residence program in which artists are invited to live and work on site, while producing a commissioned work of art. This one-of-a-kind institution promises not only to let visitors “see art” but also to “see art happen.”

The structure includes living space and a working studio for the artist, as well as state-of-the-art exhibition space, an expansive library and conference room.

“I hope my designs provide an inspiring and innovative environment for both the Lux artists and its visitors,” said Zecchetto, whose other significant architectural projects include the award-winning Church of the Nativity in Fairbanks Ranch, Calif., and the Alusa Printing Company in Santiago, Chile.

The opening of Lux marks the completion of the first phase of construction of the expansive project. When done, Lux Art Institute will have two face-to-face buildings separated by a series of gardens. Indoor paths will guide the way through vaulted exhibition spaces, public lecture areas, a library, administrative offices, a museum store and an event plaza at the top of the knoll.

Lux Art Institute celebrates its long-anticipated opening with an open house from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 1550 S. El Camino Real in Encinitas.

Those attending the open house will welcome the first Lux artist-in-residence, Chilean sculptor Tomás Rivas, and view his two and three-dimensional sculpture and drawing work which has won him acclaim.

For further information about Lux Art Institute and its many events and activities, please visit www.luxartinstitute.org, email info@luxartinstitute.org or call 760-436-6611.

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