Site location in relation to full campus

Site Plan

Floor Plan - Exploded View

Floor Plan - Typical View

Conceptual drawing shows building organization in layers as protective shields against hurricanes—circulation at the perimeter, labs in the center.

The site is the gateway to a vibrant campus, activated by green pedestrian paths that embrace a mixed network of academic spaces and student life.

A compact massing design, along with a north-south orientation and tinted glass with Low-E coating, allowed generous glazed apertures and increased efficiency and thermal performance.

The architectural expression blends with the clean simple understated modern expression of the campus and responds to the unique nature and climate of the site.

Design promotes use of the stairs by locating them in a glass tower, detached from the building, with privileged views to the campus and Bay.

The design places circulation along the perimeter and increases the fenestration sizes as the façade moves toward the ocean.

The site’s island-based location strongly influenced the building aesthetics, and the design allows natural light into all the labs, offices, and collaboration spaces.

The perimeter corridor houses small group collaboration areas, with views to the bay and to Corpus Christi Downtown.

The building can receive samples taken by students and researchers during field trips, including samples needing pre-treatment before being taken to a cleaner laboratory environment.

Laboratory and support spaces, as well as the utilities that serve them, are designed to provide the maximum flexibility needed to accommodate future pedagogical changes.

The combination of high windows and intentionally-placed glass storefront entries provide desired amount of natural light inside labs while maintaining privacy levels required for users.

The design balances the need to protect interior lab spaces from major weather events with the desire to provide transparency and visibility to the bay.

Due to the project’s coastal exposure, multiple reviews were conducted by the design team and CMAR, and the envelope consultant, windstorm engineer, and roofing sub-contractors.

Luis Ayala

Luis Ayala

Luis Ayala