Architects
EHDD Architecture, San Francisco, California
SMRT, Inc., Portland, Maine
Project Highlights
This three story building represents a new genre in hybrid marine facilities, enclosing office and common space, a research laboratory, and an interactive learning center. The challenge: build a facility to accommodate every innovation.
The building is set on steel pilings and the mass is enhanced through extra-thick concrete slabs and a heavier steel structure, to absorb even the most infinitesimal vibrations that might impact work in the research lab. The laboratory itself was designed to provide maximum flexibility to accommodate a wide range of research projects.
The unique design features a glass wall—an invitation to both passersby and local fishermen to meet over an area of common interest: the Gulf of Maine.
The Sam L. Cohen Center for Interactive Learning provides an opportunity for Maine middle school students to learn about marine ecosystems and marine science as a potential career path. The center offers a unique, state-of-the-art educational experience through interactive learning, including pre- and post-visit online classroom activities and personalized student websites.