The Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building (GVMSB) expands Hatfield Science Center area by 72,000
square feet, providing much-needed space for research, meetings, classes, and conferences. The addition of the GVMSB allows Hatfield to build capacity, a diversity of labs and expand student programs anchored on the Oregon coast. This new space contains:
• 6,000 feet of office space
• 2,563 square-foot Innovation Lab
• Three additional classrooms (providing seating for 20-36 students each)
• 250-seat auditorium
• Expanded chemical labs, computational labs and specialty labs
• Two meeting rooms (seating for 16 each)
• A cafe, the first ever on the Hatfield campus, located in the sunlit atrium. It will offer coffee, lunch
and snacks featuring local food.
The design of the GVMSB is an engineering model for coastal communities, providing an evacuation spot for up to 920 people in the event of a tsunami.
The Marine Studies Initiative (MSI) is founded on cross-disciplinary education and collaborations in the humanities and sciences to tackle complicated marine-related issues. The construction of an educational and communal building in a tsunami zone reflects just that – supporting experiential learning and access to the coast all while respecting the needs and concerns of the coastal community. Not only is this a building designed to promote proximity between students and researchers, academia and government agencies, but it enhances safety to the entire Hatfield community by providing vertical evacuation to an emergency assembly area on the roof. There are few buildings like it in North America. The execution of this building amounts to a combined feat of planning, engineering, and education.
The Gladys Valley Marine Studies building is designed to help develop a vibrant learning community for students, faculty, and partners to convene on ocean issues. This unique building will aid students, professionals, and lifelong learners in leadership, education, and workforce preparation by giving individuals the experience and training to navigate a wide spectrum of opportunities.