Bill ’67 and Peter ’71 Alfond Coastal Research Center / Flansburgh Architects

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Text description provided by the architects.The new Coastal Research Center sits on the edge of the Parker River, a vital marsh ecosystem. The project supports the school's mission to serve as a resource for the broader community and as a leader in cross-disciplinary coastal studies. Through a design that connects people and place, the Center fosters experiential learning and heightens awareness of planet protection.An elevated, low-impact ramp winds 500ft through the woodlands and leads to the coastal marsh, inviting all ages and abilities into the environment. To access the water while minimizing disturbance, a steel and wood boardwalk cantilevers above the marsh's sensitive edge and connects to a floating dock.The project's highly visible bio-infiltration basins, bio-swales, and aquatic life support systems and tanks display a microcosm of the water cycle. The exposed systems teach future generations about water management, water quality, and water's necessary role in survival.The project engages students, faculty, and the community in an inclusive, hands-on learning experience. An on-site apartment houses visiting researchers, transparent classrooms stimulate collaboration across disciplines, and outdoor teaching areas extend into nature. Green space is completely unmanicured and all deciduous trees were retained to support surrounding habitats and control temperature through passive cooling.The design meticulously balances environmental access and preservation. The building sits a strategic 100ft from the marsh between two existing rock outcroppings, as close as possible to the water without harming its ecosystems. The structure's long dimension faces the river to take advantage of prevailing winds, cooling classrooms as breezes gust through operable windows. Glass is concentrated towards the river to provide every space with views of the water. Cladded with sustainable wood, the center's exterior melts into the forest.