Completed with Nic Cottman

 

The program consists of office, education, and gathering spaces to be utilized by NOAA: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Our story and intent with our project was based on the concept of creating new understanding through immersion, exposure, and connection to the site. The passage through the site creates a journey with contrasting experiences. You begin in the upper bar building of the project, where you are immersed underneath the ground-- exposed rock surrounding you. As you travel down, it becomes brighter as you begin to transition out from the ground into the atrium. Traveling down into the bottom bar building, you are now exposed to the site. The bar bridges across allowing you new perspectives of the site. From this bar, pathways branch off and allow you to explore the site; walking passed the restored native landscaping or through the ruins of Sutro Baths. We returned the land to it’s state before the parking existed, recreating the topography that existed before, and are utilizing the existing water shed to collect water under our amphitheater - clearly honoring and emphasizing the palimpsest intrinsic to the baths.