permeable reflective ring hovers above north-east coast of puerto rico

El Corral Marine Research and Innovation Center

Studio KOSY and Adorno Arquitectos collaborate for the design of a sustainable headquarters for the blue economy of Puerto Rico. The design team unveils the proposal for the competition regarding the Marine, Business, Research, and Innovation Center located in the old Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba. The peninsular site is currently occupied by structures abandoned by the US Navy and severely impacted by hurricanes beyond repair. The project aims to transform the decayed Naval Station forming a center that supports the Blue Economy workforce providing facilities for education, training, and science.

The proposal reimagines the site as open, inclusive, connected, and respectful of its context, by integrating local flora into the designed structure through a publicly accessible central courtyard shielded from the sun and wind affecting the coastal area. The modular design and prefabrication system enables faster construction with minimal environmental impact and opts for the improvement of the local economy. The building form responds to the geographical peninsula and the condition of the site developing a round, open ring-like volume hovering above the shoreline supported by a V-shaped column system.

all visualizations by Sang Studio

the new focal point of Ceiba’s bay

Attending to the region’s climate and location standing in the cross path of destructive hurricanes and susceptible to storm flooding and damaging winds, the project constructs an elevated form wrapped in a robust exterior facade designed to withstand external forces and protect the internal zones. The envelope simultaneously acts as passive solar shading and provides visual transparency between the outdoor areas and the interior. The open courtyard stands shielded and accomplishes cross-visual connections between the different programs of the facility as well as the external zones.

The collaborative team at KOSY and Adorno Arquitectos draws from ‘el Patio’, a fundamental social space in the vernacular Puerto Rican architecture re-interpreting the feature for the design of the contemporary ‘Oasis courtyard’. Considered to be the heart of the project, the open area forms an inclusive community space shielded from harsh sun and wind. The garden space promotes the regeneration of local flora helping to prevent erosion and integrate the ground plane with its context. The courtyard serves as a social common area of the science center with lounges and meeting spaces for the resident scientists, the community, and the local fishermen, and as a welcoming arrival point for visitors.

the exterior shell of the headquarters is built to be resilient against hurricanes affecting the area

modular design and prefabrication method

Two key goals of the proposal are to support the local economy and minimize the impact on the local flora and fauna during construction. The building’s design is based on 19 precast identical modules transported via sea or land, with building enclosures and panels installed on site. Utilizing locally available expertise and technology, the building to be standing on the island of Puerto Rico aims to bolster the local economy. Additionally, the modular design and prefabrication method enables faster construction with minimal environmental impact. The structural touch-points are designed to converge at one structural axis, further reducing the impact on the local flora and fauna.

the open ring-like volume of the  Marine Innovation Center hovers above the shoreline

upon arrival at the central courtyard, the elevated form frames the seascape

the interior develops along the ring formation shaping several openings toward the outdoor area

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siteplan - transversal section

plan drawings

the site - zoning - building in the round - elevated

weatherbox - oasis - a modular building - the science oasis

sustainability diagram

project info:

name: El Corral, Marine, Business, Research, and Innovation Center
designer: KOSY – Adorno Arquitectos – Sang Studio

design team: Sebastian Grogaard – Yadira Adorno-Pomales, Wilfredo Adorno Adorno-Pomales – Sang Studio

location: Ceiba, Puerto Rico

visualizations: Sang Studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom