Building Combines Modern Design with Time-Tested Roofing, Cladding
Opened this summer, Oregon State University's new Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building (MSB) at Hatfield Marine Science Center expands marine science research, education, outreach and engagement for the region's coastal community. The 72,000-square-foot building combines modern architectural design, state-of-the-art engineering and time-tested natural RHEINZINK prePATINA Blue-Grey zinc roofing and wall cladding.
Located adjacent to Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon, the $61.7 million facility is part of the Oregon State University (OSU)'s Marine Studies Initiative 10-year strategic plan for 2016-2025. This new interdisciplinary program involves all 12 OSU colleges with a goal of providing "access to the sea" for all of its students, faculty and staff.
Currently, Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) campus facilities accommodate more than 300 researchers and students, plus six state and federal agencies. Significantly expanding its existing capacity, the MSB added a three-story academic and research core connected to a two-story wing with community space, a 250-seat auditorium and an Innovation Lab.
The first of its kind on the coast, the MSB's design by Yost Grube Hall (YGH) Architecture fosters an environment for cross-disciplinary discovery, collaboration and expression, with a focus on integrating safety, sustainability and resiliency. The building is designed and built to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® Silver criteria, to withstand a 9+ earthquake, to survive an XXL tsunami event and to be repairable after a large (L) tsunami event.
"Even in this severe marine environment, RHEINZINK prePATINA Blue-Grey zinc can hold up to these harsh conditions, deliver a potential lifespan of up to 100 years or more, and at the end of its useful life on the building's exterior, it remains 100% recyclable," said Chip McGowan, president of RHEINZINK America, Inc.
"Illustrating the connection between our built and natural environments, the MSB's zinc roofing and cladding will develop a recognizable patina that will continuously evolve, uniquely shaped by the Yaquina Bay climate," McGowan continued. "This natural patination process gives the zinc material its self-healing, corrosion-resistant performance. The resilient performance and natural beauty of zinc has been demonstrated for more than 200 years in marine environments and coastal communities."
"The design is an iconic expression of form and function," stated Jack Barth, executive director of the Marine Studies Initiative (MSI), in describing the MSB. "The form clearly identifies the vertical evacuation (safety) mission of the building and efficiently provides premier spaces for innovation, academics, research and community – all hallmarks of HMSC and MSI."