PROJECT Armed Forces Retirement Home - Gulfport
LOCATION Gulfport, ,
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 11/12/2010
ARCHITECT URS
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECT
OWNER/CLIENT Armed Forces Retirement Home
CONTRACTOR Yates Construction
PHOTOGRAPHER
ALAN KARCHMER
DESIGN TEAM
Gerald Briggs, Daryl Artz, Brian Bowser, Igor Labuda, Kyra Tallon
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:
The design of the new Armed Forces Retirement Home focuses on artifacts which survived the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and emphasizes the prominence of the site as a driving force in the composition of the building. The 660,000 square-foot facility consists of 584 residential units located in a series of pavilions placed above a common level plinth which provides safe haven from future storms. The axial orientation of the existing entrance drive, close proximity to the Gulf, and the scale of neighboring development all help define the placement and orientation of the building and its general organization and massing. The building focuses on a large elliptical entrance court, which contains surviving artifacts and a small burial site where former owners of the property are laid to rest. At the center of the ellipse, a large reflecting pool celebrates the rebuilding process and provides a contemplative reflection of the site and its past and future residents. The common level plinth is oriented to the entrance axis. Residential pavilions above the plinth are geometrically shifted off the entrance axis and are perpendicular to the coast-line, providing all residents equal views to the Gulf. Units are designed to be accessible to permit “aging in place,” and each contains a balcony which is inflected outward toward the view and coastal breezes. Fabric scrims provide shade, privacy and a sense of enclosure.
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1 The arrival court and reflecting pool incorporate historic relics from the site including a chapel and small family grave site.
IMAGE 2 A glazed clerestory admits natural light to the main lobby, which is finished in warmly toned wood paneling and terrazzo flooring.
IMAGE 3 Function areas are raised 15 feet above the ground level to limit the impact of a major storm surge.
IMAGE 4 Fabric scrims are supported by maritime cabling and provide shade, privacy, and a colorful counterpoint to the white background. Fabric can be furled if a major storm is forecast.
IMAGE 5 All units have shaded balconies and a view of the Gulf. Breakrooms adjacent to the elevator lobby are clad in curtain wall with horizontal projections to limit heat gain.
IMAGE 6
IMAGE 7
Media For Download
Project PDF
Armed Forces Retirement Home - Gulfport
Category
AIA Potomac Valley > Institutional Architecture (AIA Potomac Valley)
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