Marine Education Center

Designed to be resilient, sustainable, and durable after the previous center was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the Marine Education Center is the education and outreach arm of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. The new center exemplifies sustainable coastal building techniques that work in harmony with the marine environment, providing researchers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the ecologically critical bayou and tidal wetlands of coastal Mississippi.

In collaboration with Unabridged Architecture.

The design team’s thoughtful care shows everywhere. The complex is ordered not by an imposition of a construct of some kind, but by finding sites that create minimal damage and that would be above the flood plain and remain inherently resilient. Jury

2020 AIA COTE Top Ten Awards

The design team consulted with biologists and coastal ecologists to assess flora and fauna, ultimately selecting the site with the least sensitive ecosystem, with access to open water and a suitable elevation to protect the buildings. The center’s six buildings are sited tightly within the existing tree canopy, allow the contiguous stand of trees to serve as a wind buffer and first line of defense. Low impact materials were selected for the health of occupants and to avoid ocean contamination in the event of a natural disaster.

The Marine Education Center serves as the social and cultural meeting ground for the University of Southern Mississippi, the City of Ocean Springs, and the surrounding coastal region. The campus is a living laboratory, allowing visitors of all ages and backgrounds to explore its ecosystems. Outdoor classrooms, laboratories, administration offices, assembly spaces, exhibition areas, and a pedestrian suspension bridge support opportunities for research in environmental education, ecology, habitat, and coastal resilience.

SITE ANALYSIS

Resilient Design Strategies

Considering the intense and inevitable assault by hurricanes, the design focuses on how to use and maintain the land to serve as the first line of defense. The design team studied the Davis Bayou’s elevated storm surge and wind considerations unique to the site. In applying this research, the team was able to place the new facility on the most resilient and buffered part of the site, adapting the building program to use the site’s best asset: its trees.

SITE FEATURES

Responding to Ecology

The most damaging aspect of a hurricane is not always wind. Storm-surge flooding can be far worse, so elevating buildings is the most practical response. Buildings and decks are elevated on helical pier foundations with concrete pier caps, which help maintain natural hydrology while reducing impact on the land. The 200-foot-long pedestrian cable suspension bridge connects the main campus to the classrooms and facilities located on the west campus. The bridge maintains natural site drainage and protects the ecologically sensitive forested bayhead while providing an interactive learning environment.

WATER CONSERVATION

Conserving the Bayou

As a Marine Education Center, it was vital for the project to demonstrate responsible water conservation and stormwater management. Steep, sloping roofs quickly shed rainwater, which is collected using french drains into a 3,000-gallon underground fiberglass cistern and then utilized for flushing toilets. No potable water is used for irrigation, as Ocean Springs receives 67 inches of annual rainfall.

MATERIALITY

Selecting Low-Impact Materials

Readily available, 2X dimensional Southern Yellow Pine is used as a primary structural component, reducing the need for larger timbers while the locally sourced wood structure enables future repairs to be easily and quickly accommodated. Their low-impact nature avoids contaminating the ocean in the event of a natural disaster.