Constructed from structural steel, cast-in-place, and pre-cast concrete; concrete and glass are the only two materials that present themselves on the finished exterior. Several colors were chosen by taking photos of Milwaukee's Sunrise, then choosing specific colors from those images. The west side fenestration treatment was inspired by the tide of Lake Michigan and the sediment it leaves behind as it rises and falls; but very much looks like schools of fish. The building looks much like a child's toy or wooden block set and it is the building itself, that solves the existing problem of the museum's presence.

A children's museum or any other place of assembly must incorporate self-cleaning surfaces as well as any other precautions to ensure it's cleanliness; this is made possible through the conscious choice of material. While sanitation is a great concern so is, safety, accessibility, and the buildings interaction with its environment. These topics were considered throughout the entirety of the design process.

Structural Steel- According to LEED, structural steel receives maximum credit; “Structural steel produced in the United States contains 93% recycled steel scrap, on average. At the end of a building's life, 98% of all structural steel is recycled back into new steel products, with no loss of its physical properties. Structural steel isn't just recycled but "multi-cycled," as it can be recycled over and over and over again. It is truly a cradle-to-cradle material."

Concrete- The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth. Concrete can also be made with fly ash, slag cement, and silica fume, all waste byproducts from power plants, steel mills, and other manufacturing facilities. Concrete's inherent thermal mass ability to absorb and retain heat makes it increase energy efficiency. After a concrete structure has served its original purpose, the concrete can be crushed and recycled into aggregate for use in new concrete pavements or as back fill or road base."

Glass- The primary ingredients of glass is sand, limestone, and soda ash. So in terms of Cradle to Cradle, the return of it to the earth releases no harmful chemicals into soil which is why it is considered to have little effect on the environment in those terms. Melting sand to turn it into glass takes above 3000 F which releases plenty of CO2 into the atmosphere in the process which contributes to global warming so sourcing glass is an important aspect to minimize any new creation of glass.

Plaster - Made of lime or gypsum, water, and sand that hardens by drying and is used for casting, coating walls, ceilings, and partitions. Plastering is one of the most ancient building techniques and is a non-toxic material with no off gassing properties.

Paint - Non VOC paint is to be used to minimize toxicity in the interior environment, as well as sustainably sourced pigments for color.

Bronze - Composed of copper and tin, this metal has the ability to kill bacteria, therefore it is in best interest to apply this material to all handrails, buttons, levers, handles, and alike instead of the commonly used stainless steel.

Paper - Highly recyclable and can be ground up and mixed with wood glue and can be formed or cast into any form.

Wood - Only native species are to be used. All wood left exposed is to be coated with a bio-resin so it is easy to clean and non-porous.

Plastic - Nearly all plastic must be bio-plastic; a sustainable material that can be cast in a variety of ways into any form.

Stone - Lake stone is a beautiful way to incorporate the outdoors into the interior of the building. It can be carved into any form and polished to become very easy to clean.

Clay - No other clay in the world is just like our Milwaukee Cream City Clay. Its high lime and sulfur content give it its yellow color. It is an extremely available and manipulative material and make for affordable, complex, non-toxic forms.

BETTY BRINN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM