A Sea Change at Texas A&M University

Marine Science Research Facility Dedicated to Gulf of Mexico Studies

By Jennifer Hiller

When architects began to design the Harte Research Institute of Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, they found an ocean of inspiration.

The site location - at the entrance of a school that bills itself as "the island university" across from the Corpus Christi Bay - provided plenty of ideas for the new marine-science research and conference facility.

The $13.5 million, 57,000-sq.-ft. concrete-and-steel structure broke ground in June 2003 and will be completed in February. Zachry Construction Corp. of San Antonio is the general contractor, while the project is managed by personnel from Zachry Construction Corp. and their alliance partner, Centex Construction Co. of Dallas. The Zachry-Centex alliance also recently teamed up in the Coastal Bend region to build Aviator Stadium in Robstown, a minor league ballpark opened in 2003.

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The mission of the Harte Research Institute, which hopes to build a tri-national partnership with Cuba and Mexico, is to protect and research the Gulf of Mexico.

"The building houses all of these very technical and rigid labs," said Elizabeth Chu Richter of Richter Architects in Corpus Christi, which worked in association with Watkins Hamilton Ross Architects of Houston. "But you also have the very organic nature of the study of marine science. We tried to combine the modularity of science with the fluid nature of the subject matter. We took those two elements and juxtaposed them."

A main entrance to the building on the south features curved and battered walls and a three-story staircase. The outside staircase walls are brick, but the inside will have glass tiles in a mosaic of varying shades of blue and green. The brick and tile wall will twist and open above the roofline, exposing both types of materials to view. The staircase walls are primarily masonry, but will be integrated with glazing. An oyster shell inspired the idea, Chu Richter said.

A conference center on the north side of the building also shares the same curved and battered walls. Although the main building has a flat roof, a stainless steel standing-seam shed roof on the conference center will be visible from the upper floors of the institute, as well as from other parts of campus. The staircase and a canopy walkway leading to the south entrance will also have the same ribbed, stainless roofing.

Curtain walls along the north end will give the building an open feel and take advantage of the bay views and the diffused natural light for office spaces. To reduce energy costs, sun glare and daily heat gain, all windows face either north or south.
Stainless steel-wrapped solar fins on the east side of the building will run the height of the three stories while providing some built-in shade for the structure.

For construction managers, the undulating design throughout the building presents a practical challenge. "Nothing is in a straight line," said project manager Robert Bedrich of Centex. "We've been on the phone a lot with the structural engineer."

Structural engineers looked at several options for the walls of the staircase and the conference center, including curved tubes and concrete sheer walls, but after consulting with the architects, local masons and the National Brick Institute, they decided to go with masonry. They will use 100 percent grouted and reinforced 12-in. block concrete masonry units.

"The brick is going to be there anyway," said Gabriel Garza, senior associate with Walter P. Moore of Houston. "We thought it would be the best fit." While most curved walls are done with metal frames, there have been some buildings in Europe that have used masonry, Garza said.

Because the institute - and not just the building - is new, labs had to be designed and built with enough flexibility to allow different types of equipment, storage and experimentation for professors. "It's a challenge to create an environment that allows them to adapt and still have the infrastructure to >> support the programs," Chu Richter said.

Research Facility Design of San Diego advised on the laboratories, and construction managers and architects have worked closely with professors at the school.
Included in the building are two dry labs, six wet labs, one teaching lab and two seawater labs. Epoxy coated rebar was used underneath the seawater labs, as well as underneath the dive lockers to prevent saltwater damage to the structure.

There are so many specialized laboratories in the building that MEP will take an estimated 45 percent of the $13.5 million project cost, Bedrich said. He added that in the office areas, much of the above-ceiling work will be visible.
To help define workspaces and shield the MEP systems from view, suspended perforated metal will reach from a height of 12 ft. near the windows to 9 ft. at the entrance to the offices. The arc will help diffuse and reflect light, said architect David Richter.

South Texas weather has proven another trial for contractors on the site. Situated just yards from the Corpus Christi Bay, 20- to 30-mph winds are a constant factor. Crews have had to reinforce ductwork to prevent it from flapping in the gusts.

Rising enrollment and a $46 million endowment from Ed Harte, former publisher of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, are helping drive the building boom on campus for both the Harte Research Institute and other projects.

Zachry also broke ground on a $13 million, 60,000-sq.-ft. classroom building on the campus in February, while the Houston office of Cadence McShane should complete a $14.7 million fine arts center in mid-November.

Key Players
Owner: Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
General Contractors: Zachry Construction Corp. and Centex Construction Co.
Architects: Richter Architects, Corpus Christi, in association with Watkins Hamilton Ross Architects, Houston
MEP Engineer: Shah Smith & Associates Inc., Houston
Civil Engineering: MEI Govind Inc., Corpus Christi
Structural Engineers: Walter P. Moore, Houston
Laboratory Design Consultants: Research Facility Design, San Diego
Mechanical/Plumbing contractor: Garrett Mechanical Inc., Bryan
Steel Contractor: Wilborn Steel, San Antonio
Steel Erector: Milestone Metals, Houston
Concrete Contractor: Aguilar Forming and Rebar Co., Dallas
Foundation Contractor: Large and Sons Inc., Corpus Christi
Electrical Contractor: Fairbairn Electric Inc., Corpus Christi
Plumbing Contractor: Garrett Mechanical
Masonry Contractor: Limon Masonry Inc., Pharr
Curtain Wall Contractor: Texas Glass and Tinting Inc., Victoria