Instructor | Juan Portuese

Project | Re-Cover

Work | Academic

Year | Spring 2012

Collaboration | Saul Archila

Project Description|

The island of St. Croix located in the US Virgin Islands, is well known for its culture and mangrove trees but most importantly, for its vast coral reef that surrounds the entire island. Globally, coral reefs account for 25% of the worlds’ marine wildlife. Due to global warming over 30% of the worlds coral reef has been lost as a direct result of coral bleaching in the past 30 years. Coral bleaching occurs when the tropical water has an abnormal change in temperature, which kills the protozoa living in the coral. Damage to the protozoa, which allow the coral reef to thrive can cause them to disappear almost overnight. Almost immediately after the protozoa disappear from the site, the coral is left completely white and unable to sustain any marine life. In as little as two weeks an entire marine ecosystem can be permanently destroyed. The coral reef relies on a series of enjambments in order to survive. The Marine Biological Research Center will work for the site as much as the site working for the building. The proposal is for the building to control the temperature of the water through a series of systems. The water utilized by the building can then be used for all the necessities a marine biological research laboratory would need. By creating this relationship between the coral reef and the building, the design will guarantee that the coral reef will forever exist.