A community college in Oregon has begun construction on a new building devoted to maritime science. With it, the school hopes to solidify its position as a major industrial and marine technology center in the Pacific Northwest.
Designed by SRG Partnership, based in Portland and Seattle, the 15,500-sf Maritime Science Building will house classrooms and other instructional and building-support spaces at Clatsop Community College’s Marine and Environmental Research and Training Station (MERTS) campus. Only the fourth building on the MERTS campus, the structure will serve as an arrival point, one that strengthens the school’s maritime identity and brand.
![Maritime Building Classroom Rendering](/sites/default/files/inline-images/CCC%20MaritimeScience_SRG_N35.jpg)
Outside, cantilevers on both ends of the building create spacious, covered workspaces. Inside, the design evokes a working ship—with exposed steel, mechanical systems, and stairways all highlighting the training program’s hands-on ethos. Exposed mass timber nods to the maritime theme, while honoring the region’s timber industry. The mass timber also eliminates the need for internal columns, leaving the space open and adaptable. The building’s transparent atrium invites views from both inside and outside. And a large map of perforated wood shows where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean.
![Maritime Science Building Views](/sites/default/files/inline-images/CCC%20MaritimeScience_SRG_N41.jpg)
“Moving through the building will feel like navigating the bridge on a maritime vessel,” SRG Partnership says in a statement.
In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the design serves a structural purpose. Adjacent to the Columbia River, the MERTS campus sits on land that was dredged from the river. The soil is sandy and silty, with a high risk of soil liquefaction in a seismic event—a key design challenge. Also, the bedrock lies 60 feet down. By limiting the footprint of the ground floor, the team minimized the amount (and cost) of foundation drilling. The cantilevered second floor provides the rest of the needed interior space.
![Building Sustainability](/sites/default/files/inline-images/CCC%20MaritimeScience_SRG_Sustainability_N33.jpg)
PAE will serve as the MEP engineer, with Catena as the structural engineer.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020
2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Higher Education | Aug 26, 2020
Students aren’t the only ones who have returned to Austin College in Texas
KWA Construction built the school’s new residence hall, nearly 10 years after its first student housing project for the college.
Laboratories | Jul 24, 2020
Customized labs give universities a recruiting edge
CO Architects is among a handful of firms that caters to this trend.
Coronavirus | Jun 18, 2020
Brown University tops off first housing building in three decades
The facility, scheduled for completion next April, will combine a residence hall with student health services.
Coronavirus | Mar 30, 2020
Learning from covid-19: Campuses are poised to help students be happier
Overcoming isolation isn’t just about the technological face to face, it is about finding meaningful connection and “togetherness”.
Higher Education | Mar 10, 2020
SmithGroup helps Higher Ed clients analyze their space
Its service provides schools with a growth strategy, based on current and future needs.
Education Facilities | Mar 3, 2020
Carisima Koenig, AIA, joins Perkins Eastman as Associate Higher Education Practice Leader
Perkins Eastman as Associate Higher Education Practice Leader
Giants 400 | Aug 13, 2019
2019 Science + Technology Giants Report: Operational flexibility is a must for S+T buildings
The science and technology (S+T) sector is arguably the industry’s most complex because it caters to a diverse clientele with specific priorities and imperatives, according to Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.
Higher Education | Jul 20, 2019
Turner-led team wraps women’s residence reno at Alabama A&M
This is the latest of numerous projects in Huntsville that the GC has engaged over the past 65 years.
University Buildings | Jul 10, 2019
Campus costs: Square foot construction prices for student unions
Using RSMeans data from Gordian, here are the most recent costs per square foot of college student unions in 10 college cities across the U.S.