NEWPORT WATER RESEARCH CENTER

01 / DESCRIPTION

Working with the Firm In Residence Schwartz/Silver Architects, this project explores how architecture can respond to rising sea levels while enhancing the visitor experience on Goat Island, just off the coast of Downtown Newport. The pavilion unfolds as a three-part journey—LAND, AIR, and WATER—each element careful-ly designed to reflect and engage with the surrounding environment. Elevated above a site predicted to flood due to climate change, the structure draws inspiration from Newport’s historic piers. The design floats above the landscape on irregular, pier-like columns, creating a sense of light-ness and movement. A delicate metal mesh drapes over the glazed facade, filtering light and framing selec-tive views, as if the building itself were drifting with the wind. Each of the three volumes plays a distinct role in the visitor experience. The LAND building grounds the user with restrooms at grade, designed to flood seasonally, and houses private offices and public amenities above. Moving through the central axis, visitors enter AIR, a flexible event space with an expansive green roof and observation deck meant for gathering and orientation. The journey concludes at WATER, which meets the edge of the sea, welcoming guests arriving by water taxi and offering a bar with panoramic views of Bowen’s Wharf and the Newport skyline. This pavilion was the first phase of a larger master plan for Goat Island, including a future Water Research Gallery. It embodies a forward-thinking approach to site-sensitive design, blending environmental resilience with experiential architecture.