Girl Scouts Sailing Center | Seabrook, Texas

Serving as an instructional facility and central storage location for the camp's sailing equipment, the building complies with hurricane codes and storm surge elevation requirements

A new structure, the Casa Mare Sailing Center is designed to contain the existing Girl Scouts of San Jacinto sailing program at Camp Casa Mare in Seabrook, Texas. The structure is a double height volume work space with support facilities providing extensive storage, boat repair and a conditioned classroom space. Designed to open up to views of the water and to maximize the cooling potential of available winds and breezes, the building serves as both an instructional facility and centralized storage location for all the camp's sailing equipment. Constructed of a mixed system of pre-engineered metal building frame and CMU, the building is designed to comply with stringent local hurricane codes as well as storm surge elevation requirements.

The double height volume of the structure serves a dual function. First, the structure provides the necessary height required to allow boats to enter the building without stepping down their masts. Second, this height afforded the opportunity to install high-level clerestory glazing that allows the sailors views of the sky from inside the workroom area. This clerestory in conjunction with projected interior lighting acts as a location beacon to young sailors out on the water at night.