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
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
Multifamily Housing | Feb 26, 2020
School districts in California are stepping in to provide affordable housing for faculty and staff
One high school district in Daly City has broken ground on 122-apartment building.
Architects | Feb 24, 2020
Design for educational equity
Can architecture not only shape lives, but contribute to a more equitable and just society for marginalized people?
Education Facilities | Dec 5, 2019
A new Atlanta-area STEM magnet school will feature a flexible modular design
The design firm Cooper Carry combined three of its practice studios to collaborate on this project.
Education Facilities | Nov 18, 2019
The modernization of a Portland, Ore., school addresses societal concerns
Bullying, unintended segregation, privacy, and gender neutrality all factored into the redesign and upgrading of Grant High School.
Education Facilities | Oct 31, 2019
South-West Middle School welcomes its first students
Ai3 Architects designed the project.
Education Facilities | Oct 29, 2019
Virginia is home to Bjarke Ingels’ first U.S. public school
The school encourages indoor-outdoor learning.
Education Facilities | Oct 21, 2019
New Hildreth Elementary School will feature a dedicated STEM center
The project is slated for completion in 2021.
Education Facilities | Sep 24, 2019
A fresh start: upgrades and expansions mark new school year
Projects typically emphasize natural light, collaborative spaces, and resource efficiency.
Giants 400 | Sep 4, 2019
Top 90 K-12 School Sector Construction Firms for 2019
Gilbane, Balfour Beatty, Turner, CORE Construction, and Skanska lead the rankings of the nation's largest K-12 school sector contractors and construction management firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.