FEATURED PROJECT:
Apalachicola River & Bay
National Estuarine Sanctuary
Lab
This 4,000 SF facility includes a 1,500 SF classroom and visitor center, a complete audiovisual center and administrative offices. The marine laboratory and the interactive research areas, including eight living specimen “touch tanks”, help scientists monitor and protect the fragile Apalachicola River and Bay Estuary. Provided for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration through the Florida Department of Natural Resources, the building was designed to reflect and respect the local coastal architectural style created during Apalachicola’s heyday as a 19th century cotton port. Its scale, materials and colors contribute to its unassuming presence in this historic fishing village. The design sets it apart from a nearby “square-box” regulatory agency to underscore the point that the sanctuary is run by the “good guys”.
