This studio challenges students to work in teams of two to comprehensively design a 20,000 SF Restaurant, Fish Market and Fish Processing Facility at a small but vital harbor on the central coast of California.

The 6-credit course fulfills the Integrated Design requirement for a professional degree in Architecture. Students work with consulting experts in MEP, Structural, Civil, Building Envelope, and Kitchen Design. The students met periodically with this group to get insight and guidance on their proposals.

Our client for the project is Phil’s Fish market and Eatery, which has an existing facility on the sand spit “island” that forms the western edge of the harbor, and a planned co-op of commercial fishermen. Other notable stakeholders include the local population which sees the harbor and adjoining beach as an important public area, and two large marine research institutions (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and Cal State University Marine Labs) with significant presence on the “island.”

MBARI is Phil’s current landlord and owns the land at one of the sites we are looking at. MBARI is looking to expand their operations, and plans to raze the building that currently houses Phil’s Fish Market and Eatery. Phil is looking for a new home for his facility when his current lease ends. He has identified a few potential sites for a new facility north of his current location, which we explored for this project. The Co-op for Commercial Fleet is being developed in response to a significant body of research on the harbor, fleet, and Moss Landing. The Co-op would allow Moss Landing’s Commercial Fishery to sell directly to the public, through a market, the new Phil’s and a regional distribution network of restaurants and small grocers. Given an increasing market demand for locally sourced food generally and regionally specific cuisine in the tourism industry, Fresh-caught and locally processed Moss Landing-branded products would be well positioned to attract a premium price. This would provide a much needed boost to the local economy.

The site which is bordered by a harbor, two state parks, a marine sanctuary, and a power plant, is a difficult one, sitting in a liquefaction zone with significant seismic challenges, poor soils, tight zoning, and environmental controls from several overlapping authorities.

The fish market was selected as a project for the studio because of the direct role building systems play in the program. Further, the site selected has particular challenges related to its soils and seismic issues which limit the available options for structural solutions.

The students undertake a rigorous investigation into the clients, context, typologies, etc, in the development of a speculative program document for the project, which was maintained for the duration of the project. They conduct extensive code analysis, tour precedents and the existing restaurant to be replaced, meet with the clients, etc.

The resulting proposals demonstrate an ability to integrate Building Systems, Structural Design, Life Safety and Accessibility Compliance, Building Envelope Design, Energy and Resource Efficiency, and effective Site Planning and Design. The proposals were both documented in presentation format with a series of Models and Graphics, as well as technically, through a drawing set and an accompanying documentation of specified equipment, materials, assemblies, and documentation of building performance assessment.

The class traveled to Moss Landing where they met with Phil and toured his existing facility, visited a number of precedent markets and restaurants, and spent time on the site. At the site, the students spoke with local fishermen, tourists, and other stakeholders.

“Sites of Visitation: Leveraging the Touristic Endeavor”.

Lawrence, Scott.

Conference Paper and Presentation.

National Conference on the Beginning Design Student. Denver, CO

2019