Located on waterfront property at the old Charleston Naval Base, the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center is an academic research institute dedicated to integrative approaches to restoration. As a nod to the site’s industrial history, the form and materials echo the history of stacked shipping containers. The building is elevated on a concrete podium which protects it from floodwaters, minimizes site impacts, provides a covered parking area, and creates an excellent vantage point for capturing views of the Cooper River. A transparent double-height cube anchors the southeast corner.
Terracotta colored metal panel wraps the building and defines the outdoor learning space and upper story boardroom. A linear slot carved at the east end of the wrapper frames a view from the open roof deck and boardroom of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge spanning the Cooper River.
The 52,000 SF facility houses graduate electrical, computer, mechanical engineering and digital arts programs. An interior spine of transparent offices organizes the interior layout, which prioritizes collaboration and gathering spaces located along the southeastern facade to maximize views of the river. Expansive curtainwall allows natural light deep into the interior; solar tubes provide additional natural light in the interior corridors.
The building is targeting LEED Gold certification, with sustainable design strategies that include remediation of a brownfield site, an 8,000 square foot green roof, and high-performance building systems.
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