Schematic Design for the NHMSC by Robert Kidder

NATIONAL HURRICANE MUSEUM & SCIENCE CENTER SCHEMATIC DESIGN BRIEF NOVEMBER 2010

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend a special thanks to the following organizations and individuals. Without their considerable dedication and effort, this report could not have been possible.

THE NATIONAL HURRICANE MUSEUM & SCIENCE CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

Gray Stream Chairman (FMR) America’s Wetland Discovery Center

Lake Charles / Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau

Captain Sammie Faulk Vice Chairman, Cameron Parish Tourist Commission

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development

Mark McMurry Secretary, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury

Louisiana Office of Tourism / Department of Culture Recreation and Tourism Federal Highway Administration / National Scenic Byways Program This project was funded by: National Scenic Byway Grant 745-97-007 FAP SB-CA-06(005)

Monte Hurley Creole Nature Trail All–American Road Claude Leach (FMR) America’s Wetland Discovery Center Fran Morgan-Sanchez Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau Jennifer Templet City of Lake Charles Shelley Johnson Immediate Past Chairman/Fiscal Agent Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau IN-HOUSE CREATIVE, Owner’s Representative Jill Kidder in-houseCreative, Inc. Darienne Mobley in-houseCreative, Inc. Robert Kidder in-houseCreative, Inc. Anne Klenke Graham Group

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National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE

ARCHITECTURAL EXPERIENCE

SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS

CD ROM Schematic Design Presentation Submission Schematic Design Technical Submission High Resolution Image Files

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National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Executive Summary

INTRODUCTION

THE MISSION &VISION

SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES

The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center, in collaboration with the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, Lake Charles Southwest Louisiana Convention Visitors Bureau and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development commissioned the team of SmithGroup Incorporated (Architects and Engineers), Eisterhold Associates (Exhibit Designers) and Bernstein-Rein (Marketing) to design a new museum and science center to be located in Lake Charles, Louisiana situated in the middle of hurricane country. The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center (NHMSC) as its name suggests, is a hybrid of entertainment, learning, social awareness and state of the art professional practice related to hurricanes.

The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center is dedicated to the understanding of hurricanes and wetlands, and investigating their scientific and ecological character and impact. Through engaging educational experiences, the NHMSC prepares people to survive and recover from storms, while at the same time using hurricanes as a forceful motivation to learn math, science and history in irresistible ways.

The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center will be designed to sustain a category 5 Hurricane. Furthermore, we recognize that building construction and their operation have extensive impact on the environment, both direct and indirect. Recent studies suggest that buildings account for over 35% of the world’s total energy use, 35% of CO2 emissions and create upwards of 60% of the non-industrial waste. This project will respond appropriately to challenges of environmental stewardship. It will avoid resource depletion of energy, water, and raw materials; be liveable, comfortable, safe and productive and avoid environmental degradation throughout its lifetime. The following precepts will guide us as the project develops:

A detailed programming phase began in early 2009 and was based upon a preliminary program developed in an earlier master planning phase. The programming phase was completed in early 2010 and approved for schematic design development. The schematic design phase began in June of 2010 and was completed early in November of that same year. The following pages represent the collective efforts of the museum’s Board of Directors, the City of Lake Charles and the design team and describes in schematic detail the proposed museum project.

Expected to open in 2014, the National Hurricane Museum & Science Center will become known and respected as: • A national education center and electronic hub for the understanding of hurricanes and coastal wetlands as natural, scientific, and cultural phenomena; • A popular financially viable destination contributing to the economic development of the region; • A trusted source for timely and relevant information to better prepare people to survive and recover from hurricanes; • A creative education model using the power and fascination of hurricanes to motivate students to learn mathematics, ecology, history, geography and social science; • A place of respectful remembrance of the sacrifice and courage of people who risk lives and property in the paths of these ever-present storms. The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center aspires to be a permanent educational asset for the region enhancing the quality of life by preparing people to understand, endure and recover from hurricanes, reducing loss of life and damage to property through innovative education and timely communication. The museum will operate as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit education organization. Museum academic programming is proven to be more powerful than remote learning; the presence of a museum will allow students and visitors to engage in visual literacy, develop personal relationships and understand cultural and historical perspectives with and of the world. Outreach and community immersion projects will enrich the quality of education for students in grades K through 12 and will foster an appreciation of hurricanes and the significance of wetlands for future generations.

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• • • • • •

Optimize Site/Existing Structure Potential Optimize Energy Use Protect and Conserve Water Use Environmentally Preferable Products Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Optimize Operational and Maintenance Practices

THE PROCESS The process to design the new museum began with a preliminary program of work and interpretive experience provided by a previous consulting team to the museum. The program and exhibit experience was discussed, modified, and reworked into a more accurate reflection of the current needs, as expressed by the Board of Directors. Subsequently the program and exhibit experience was tested through the development of focus group research and demand analysis for the project. This resulted in a right sizing of the program from approximately 114,000 GSF to 63,000 GSF and the development of a business plan supporting the smaller facility. These discussions and developments took place in a series of workshop meetings spanning over eight months. Upon approval of the business plan, program, and exhibit experience the team evaluated three alternative sites along the water front of Lake Charles to site the museum. Each site was analyzed and strengths and liabilities noted. In workshop setting it was concluded that a site nearest the central business district would be most beneficial to both the city of Lake Charles and the NHMSC. There are numerous worldwide examples of the power of cultural facilities on the economic development and health of cities and we believe Lake Charles could realize a similar benefit. National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Executive Summary

A request to develop Tract One D, as identified in the Lake Charles Master Plan was proposed to city leadership. Conceptual designs for the exhibit and architectural experiences were approved by Board of Directors for schematic design development in June 2010. Schematic design began immediately thereafter. The further development of the approved conceptual design continued during the schematic design phase. Each of the major building systems (architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical) were developed to a more detailed level and presented for input. In a similar manner, so too were the exhibit designs developed. The results of these efforts are compiled in this report. This report was subsequently used in the development of the estimate of probable construction costs for the project. PROGRAMMING, PLANNING & DESIGN OBJECTIVES The programming for the project resulted in a demonstrated need for atotal of 63,000 gross square feet. Program spaces included museum pre-function spaces, exhibit galleries, 100 seat theater, administrative offices, 10,800 GSF of shelled future office space, a café, a museum store and museum support spaces. The museum was envisioned as a single floor facility allowing the free flow of traffic between venues without the need of stairs, ramps or vertical transportation. The lobby and café have been planned so that each can operate independent of the museum functions. This allows a visitor or non museum-goer to access the lobby and café to enjoy the space, views of the lake and city without the necessity of purchasing a ticket. An unstated goal is to have the lobby function as a meeting place for the citizens of Lake Charles. While envisioned as a single story structure, site circumstances necessitated moving some program functions to a second level. As a result the museum administrative offices and future tenant space has been moved to an upper level location.

SITE PLAN

EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE

PROGRAM SUMMARY (GSF)

The site, chosen by the NHMSC and requested from the city, is Tract 1- D. The primary benefits of this site, its lakefront location and its proximity to the central business district make it the perfect choice.

The NHMSC proposes an integrated exhibit experience that has been carefully developed to fulfill the Center’s mission, vision, message, and unique place in the world. Visitors will be engaged in body and mind by experiences that impart, in a holistic and interwoven way, a thorough understanding of hurricanes and wetlands, and a road map for coexisting with both.

Program and Visitor Services (Public Non- Exhibit) Exhibits (Public / Collections) Private / Admin/Bldg Services Future Partnership Space*

EXTERIOR IMAGE

Building Support Building Construction

The facility construction will require less than a one half acre to be reclaimed from Lake Charles. The museum’s front door is on Bor Du Lac Drive and is fronted by a plaza and a grassed lawn area sculpted as wave forms. The site plan accommodates the recently constructed lake front promenade fountain and allows for the continuation the public servitude along the shoreline. Landscaping is simple yet striking and consistent with the city landscaping improvements made to date. Parking is assumed to utilize the Civic Center lot, immediately adjacent to the west, until such time as demand from the urban renaissance of Lake Charles will necessitate the construction of parking decks. It is the intention of this development to drive parking demand into the city proper so as to encourage collateral business and retail traffic. We have purposely limited the amount of surface roads and associated vehicular paving to maximize public space on the waterfront. We believe this is consistent with the city’s master plan. INTERIOR ORGANIZATION

The architectural concept for this facility is rooted in the power of the hurricane and what we as individuals feel as participants in this enormous phenomena. On a personal level we experience terrifying wind and water. The building form expresses in frozen forms the waves from the inevitable surge crashing ashore and cresting the immoveable object in its path. Materials are metaphorically employed to express these elements. Sleek metal curvilinear elements express the water and its terrifying movement and the solid concrete exterior of the museum (the container for our history, growing knowledge and personal resolve) is the embodiment of the immovable objects in its destructive path. Our goal was to create an iconic structure that would become the symbol of the National Hurricane Museum & Science Center. If we are successful it could also become the symbol of Lake Charles, Louisiana. It will be our Bilbou, our Sidney Opera House, our Milwaukee Art Museum.

TOTAL GSF

8,829 26,207 8,629 10,829 11,573

2,819 68,886

*This space will be shelled for future occupancy and tenant fit out. Effective NHMSC program space is 58,057 GSF. PROJECT COST SUMMARY This report identifies a total project budget of $65,027,600. This project cost total includes a 15% design contingency, 5% construction contingency and a 9.75% escalation to 2014. The estimate allocates $41,033,400 building for design and construction and $20,394,000 for exhibit design and construction.

The museum planning is simple and easy to comprehend. Upon entry to the lobby, exhibit venues flank either side. The theater or “Big Show” is to the left and the main exhibit venue is to the right. A museum store and ticket office are immediately adjacent the entrance and a café that overlooks the waterfront is also visible from the entry doors. As noted earlier the administrative offices and future tenant space are located on an upper level, each with its own dedicated vertical circulation. Building support, loading and service areas are located on the far north end of the facility. These spaces are shielded from public view.

The building is surrounded by the plaza/boardwalk along the water’s edge. This will accommodate program space for an outdoor wetland exhibit/themed boat ride as well as the extension of the city’s public servitude. 4

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National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Exhibit Experience

The National Hurricane Museum and Science Center proposes to be a unique facility with a critically important message in a distinctive location. In other words, there has never been anything like it in the world. In order for the Center to successfully fulfill its educational, civic, and cultural mission and vision, it will require exhibits that are specific to its subject matter and place in the world. The themes and components of the exhibits have been carefully developed to meet each of the NHMSC goals and directives in a holistic, exciting, informative, and personal way, melding engagement with learning for the most impactful experience possible. Visitors to the National Hurricane Museum & Science Center should come away with a clear understanding of hurricanes and wetlands, and a road map for successfully coexisting with the former, and within the latter. NHMSC Exhibit Themes: - Public Responsibility - Accumulated Understanding - Looking Ahead - Understanding Complexity - Preparedness - Understanding Wetlands - Environmental Responsibility

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Exhibit Experience

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE It is the ambitious interpretive goal of the NHMSC to educate and sufficiently prepare the general public for hurricanes. The NHMSC will be an active agent for public education, filling a much-needed role to engage the public and arm individuals and communities with both knowledge and action plans for surviving—and thriving—in hurricane country. After visiting the NHMSC, people should be able to make better-informed decisions about the risk that they take when they build in, live in, or visit hurricane country. In all reality, “hurricane country” is everywhere, as we are all affected by them in some way, and we all know at least one person who has encountered them personally. The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center is more than a museum, because we consider history as a building block in order to look forward and teach activism—and proactivism. It is also more than a science center—going past the hard facts of science to show how it intersects culture, economics, and people. The exhibits are grouped and sequenced to create a gestalt of higher-order interpretation, so that the concepts illuminated by the individual exhibits build upon one another for a rich, integrated overall experience. If they do their job, they will impart a deeper understanding of how people, hurricanes, and the wetlands environment interact. The exhibit groupings build on one another to create a big picture, but they can also stand alone as complete stories. The sections can be viewed in any order, allowing visitors to package their own experience at the NMHSC according to individual interests.

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Exhibit Experience

PUBLIC RESPONSIBLITY How have hurricanes affected people and communities—how have they changed lives, land, and history? How have we learned not just to cope with their destruction, but to predict them and even mitigate their effects? How have hurricanes throughout time and around the world taught us to increasingly take responsibility for ourselves, our property, and our communities? Visitors can find answers to these and other questions in this exhibit section, “Hurricane Stories.” Welcome to Brown’s Store, a center of local commerce and community that emits all the unique warmth and charm of “Cajun Country.” As visitors look around, they’ll find canned goods and other foods, fishing gear and household goods—and something else. Interspersed on the tightly packed shelves are video stories of preparation, survival, and recovery from a yearly unwanted guest to South Louisiana: hurricane season. Behind the counter, a ghostly storekeeper appears and welcomes visitors, orients them to the exhibit, and relates various hurricane stories about the region. As visitors wander through the aisles, motion sensors trip sections of certain walls or the fronts of packaged goods, which magically become projection surfaces hosting storytellers’ tales of surviving Hurricane Audrey, or Rita, or Ike. On some of the lower shelves, the logo on the surface of a box of rice or pancake mix will suddenly come to life and call out to kids, telling them ageappropriate stories and giving advice on hurricane preparedness. The entire store will be rich with hidden “hotspots” where storytellers pop-and-talk. Stories told here are local or regional —such as the hurricane stories of Camille, Audrey, Katrina, Rita or Ike—and are grounded in the rich and vibrant culture of the area through collected oral histories. Some are touching, some sad, some a little scary, some even funny, but all are designed to give visitors a sense of what an enormous impact hurricanes can have on people’s lives, homes, families, and imaginations in this part of the world. Along the back wall, an interactive bulletin board tells the stories of the world’s most notable historic hurricanes, and toward the exit, a mini-theater takes visitors through all that they’ve learned here to discuss the arc of public responsibility that comes with human coexistence with hurricanes. 7

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Exhibit Experience

ACCUMULATED UNDERSTANDING Humankind has come a long way since the times when ferocious gales were mysterious and inexplicable forces generated from the angry heavens onto our unsuspecting world. Man’s growing understanding, over many centuries, of the nature of hurricanes and other meteorological phenomena has given us the power of foresight, and the ability to take action and precautions that are increasingly effective. This journey from the darkness of ignorance to the light of understanding has been long and piecemeal, with each new discovery adding another piece to the puzzle to form the picture that we currently see (which is still evolving). In the Hurricane Awareness section, visitors are beckoned by a larger-than-life Christopher Columbus to step onto a moving walkway, which disappears into a long, dark gallery. Inside the gallery, the wind howls and blows, trees are bent to the horizontal, roofs and animals are airborne, sails and rigging flail wildly, real and replicated hurricane debris is suspended, and lightning flashes and driving rain augment the effects. This is a full 4D immersion gallery, where visitors experience a sample of the force of a hurricane (complete with winds at speeds as high as can safely be experienced), set in the age of Columbus, who wrote the first documented hurricane report on record. The moving walkway then snakes through a series of enclosed mini-galleries that depict several accumulated singular scientific discoveries that led to humankind’s growing collective understanding of hurricanes. At the entrance to each gallery, visitors are greeted by a historical figure (such as Benjamin Franklin) who made an important discovery about hurricanes. Each discoverer tells his tale and visitors get an interactive understanding of how the discoveries were made at each particular point in history. As visitors progress through each environment, they see how each discovery built on the one before it—ultimately yielding the “picture” of a hurricane that we see today. To symbolize man’s journey “from darkness to light” along this path, each successive gallery is just a little bit brighter than the last. On the last stop of this journey, visitors disembark from the moving walkway and “into the light” where they can look at a swirling hurricane from above, rather than from underneath —a position of power through knowledge. Each of the discoveries they just experienced is depicted from this new vantage point, demystified and presented as a unified whole, removing the darkness of unawareness without diminishing the power and mystery of one of nature’s greatest phenomena. 8

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Exhibit Experience

LOOKING AHEAD The best protection against hurricanes is prediction. While both scientists and laymen are becoming more sophisticated about these storms all the time, prediction is still a complicated undertaking. We almost always know that a hurricane has formed and can track its movement. What we don’t know for sure is precisely how quickly the storm will move, if it will continue to grow, the exact point of landfall, and how strong the storm will be when landfall is actually made. About exact route, speed, and strength, we can only make highly educated guesses. It’s on the strength of all the science, analysis, experience, and intuition of seasoned professionals that big, expensive decisions will be made—will we evacuate whole cities and coastlines and get emergency services ready, or not? No pressure, but people’s lives may depend on it… In this section, visitors will enjoy a breathtaking, immersive ride on a simulated hurricane hunter flight, which can accommodate a group of 15-30 people at a time, and provide the thrilling feeling that you are in the cockpit, at the controls, and heading right into the eye of the storm and back out again. Seats move and shake, rock, and roll, as the imagery flies by, dissolving the boundary between reality and fantasy.

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In the Reporting Live! booth, young visitors can be the weather reporter in the storm, reading their report into the camera while the ferocious gale blows. Standing in front of the green screen, they read from the teleprompter or cue cards (or if they’re brave they can ad-lib), while friends and family watch the result onscreen, often with unexpected and sometimes hilarious results as buildings wash past the oblivious reporter or unusual objects hurtle past them. If they desire, DVD’s of their report can be taken home, for a nominal charge. Along three large walls are a series of tableaux, depicting three different eras of prediction, each showing a range of weather data-gathering equipment which feed into a large central video monitor. On the central monitors, different dramatic video presentations play that explain how, in each era in time, the data is/was synthesized into a “picture” of weather conditions, and then analyzed into a forecast. The overall message: With better and more accurate data, and with better and better prediction methods, man’s ability to “know” future weather improves.

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Exhibit Experience

UNDERSTANDING COMPLEXITY The better we understand hurricanes and other phenomenon, the better we can replace fear with intelligent action. Science helps us to do just that. Like most science centers, this is where we display the “scientific” component meteorological parts of a hurricane, as they have been isolated and studied by scientists over the years. Unlike most science centers, we try to link these components together into a narrative sequence that provides context, and will aid retention of the learning material. Some of the many activities in this section include: Dissecting a Hurricane – A holographic sphere hovers over an interactive station where visitors get a first-hand, hands-on understanding of the various scientific principles that create hurricanes, such as barometric pressure, Hadley Cells, and the Coriolis Effect, to name a few. “Birth of a Hurricane” Air Hockey Game – Visitors learn about how hurricanes first form within thunderstorms off the coast of Africa, how they can grow from tropical depressions into measurable hurricanes, move across vast water surfaces, and finally die, usually over land—in a hands-on way. In this game, skill and smart choices cause hurricanes to form and grow or die away. Visitors manipulate the three major variables that determine the strength and viability of a hurricane: moisture content, air pressure, and surface water temperature. Risk and Probability Show – A docent-led audience experience that conveys the pure mathematics of chance. A live presenter queries the audience about their perceptions of probability, leading them step-by-step to an understanding of the prediction tools used by weather forecasters. Surge Wall Experience – Visitors can have a first-hand, bodily understanding of the devastating height and power of storm surges by standing in the virtual path of one. A giant wall of floor-to-ceiling glass tubes (2-3 inches in diameter) will create the illusion. Visitors can select to experience the surge of hurricanes Camille, Audrey, Katrina, Rita, or Ike. Once they choose which historic storm they want, the glass tubes will swiftly fill with water at the same unimaginable levels of the storm surge of the chosen hurricane. 10

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Exhibit Experience

PREPAREDNESS After coming to the NHMSC, visitors will walk away with a good understanding of the practical things to do in order to be prepared for living in hurricane country. The PrepMart—the bookend to Brown’s Store—is the place that caters to all of your hurricane-preparation needs. Similar in look to a WalMart or Home Depot, PrepMart contains four sections: 1) Mitigation, 2) Preparation, 3) Evacuation and 4) Recovery. In the Mitigation aisle, find out how simple building materials and techniques can help keep the roof on and the water out. The shelves are filled with building supplies (such as shingles, bolts and screws, lumber, etc.) with lots of signage, video demonstrations, and models along the way that explain how each material is used to increase the chances of a home withstanding a hurricane. If the kids get fidgety, they won’t be for long, as several items on the lower shelves will jump and rattle, calling out things like, “Hey, kid! Don’t be fooled by the cheap-o brands! Did you know if you buy me instead it could mean the difference between a house with a roof and a roof that blows away!” Is your family ready for a storm? Have you planned how to stay in communication, where to meet, and what to bring? Are your home and car ready? Will you have food and clean drinking water in an emergency? Your life and your families’ lives could depend on it! In the Preparation aisle, visitors are greeted by several different “little people” on the shelves, such as highway patrolmen, clinicians, first responders, insurance agents, etc., who talk about what to do to prepare for an oncoming hurricane. The Evacuation aisle is particularly exciting, as “shoppers” (visitors) are given exactly one minute to put whatever they can into their cart and rush to the checkout lane (they must get the cart across a “finish line” on the floor in front of the checkout lane), while a big counter ticks off the time, and a siren and lights go off when time is up. The self-checkout scanner then tells them exactly what it thinks of their purchase decisions. The purpose of the game is to reinforce the need for preparedness, and that rushed decisions make for poor choices. Before leaving PrepMart, visitors can play “You Bet Your Life,” a multi-player quiz game with fun and interesting facts about hurricane mitigation, preparedness, evacuation, and recovery, hopefully reinforcing these important messages in a fun and exciting way. 11

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Exhibit Experience

UNDERSTANDING WETLANDS The Wetlands exhibit experiences are broken into two main sections: 1) awareness of the complexity of wetlands, and 2) teaching responsibility for their well-being. This area focuses on the former. Visitors will learn about America’s wetlands, including: what wetlands are (including flora and fauna); where wetlands are located; why wetlands are important to land, environment, people, economy, and culture, and how wetlands and hurricanes impact each other. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a giant interactive map which puts the wetlands into context with the rest of the United States. Here, they will learn about the dynamics between the Mississipi River and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the sizable economic and cultural impacts of the Louisiana wetlands on the rest of the country.

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The Flora & Fauna Timescales section looks like an art gallery, with oversized video frames on the wall and interactive sliders underneath. People can manipulate the sliders and watch the scene change to see how different wetlands creatures and vegetation evolve over a day, a season, a year and more. The “Edge Effect,” a 3D sculpted “nutrient map” illustrates the surprising richness of flora and fauna which inhabit this fascinating boundary between water and land. Because of the amazing and complex interface between these two elements, an equally amazing and complex effervescence of life is found in this relatively small part of the planet.

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Exhibit Experience

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY The second half of the Wetlands exhibit experiences focuses on man’s stewardship and responsibility to this precious and disappearing national resource. “Take Your Stand” – What can we do to preserve our wetlands? Since it’s nearly impossible for the average person to see and understand our cumulative effects on the wetlands, this experience will speed up time and zoom out the “lens” of perception to show cause and effect over time and space. Visitors can view day cycles (such as tides), seasonal cycles, and life cycles and how they all interact. Each person stands on a walkway that has a set of graphic footprints embedded in the floor. The square lights up when stepped upon, and also lights up an area of the wetlands in front of it. The point of the interactive is to see how the wetlands are affected over time and space, even though they are right in front of you and appear to be doing nothing much in particular. Visitors can enter different data to see how individual, community, governmental, and business actions affect the wetlands, in ways both good and bad. “Disappearing Wetlands” – A 3-dimensional diorama of a chunk of the wetlands, with the inhabitants identified, which happens to be the size of the area of wetlands that disappears every minute. As visitors study the diorama, the light slowly disappears, darkening the exhibit in a long sweep, portraying the amount of wetlands area lost in the time that they have been watching. “Honey, I Shrunk the Visitors” – An outdoor exhibit, where visitors (especially children) play in a fantasy oversized wetlands environment, shown in progressive stages of restoration. “Virtual Glass-Bottom” Boat Tour – For a separate ticket, adventurous visitors can take a “virtual glass-bottom” boat tour out into the actual wetlands. There they will see the wetlands and its denizens up-close and personal, and learn about their habitats along the way through the electronic, “virtual” glass-bottom on the boat’s floor, and from the colorful boat guides who will lead the tour.

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Exhibit Experience

THE BIG SHOW The Big Show is a theatrical animatronic puppet show in a seated theater in which various Cajun and wetlands characters interact with official-type characters—such as insurance agents and FEMA workers—all in anticipation of Big Blow, who comes in and wreaks havoc on the town. The audience will be surpised and engaged by characters emerging from all around them—even up above! Lots of fun effects, such as confetti and streamers, will add magic and fun to the show. After a short first show, audiences will be able voice input, and then watch the show again to see if their input made any changes in the characters’ behavior; and therefore, the story’s outcome.

Big Blow

By asking the audience to “adjust” the parameters of the humancontrolled environment from the first show, and then running a second sequence to see the consequences, we have a unique vehicle for learning. The Big Show is a critical teaching tool for higher-order understanding of the relationship among ordinary citizens (and denizens) and their desires, and the larger forces of society, such as Insurance, Zoning, and Building Codes. Mr. and Mrs. Waitandsee

The Wetlands Quartet

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Architectural Experience

THE CONCEPT August 17, 1969 August 24, 1992 August 29, 2005 September 23, 2005 Many of us tend to recognize these dates by name; Camille, Andrew, Katrina, Rita. Those who know these dates recognize the immense power of these storms. The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center expresses this power in its architectural form. Located on the east shoreline of Lake Charles the museum is composed of a series of wave-like forms that crash into and over the building from the water’s edge. Each of these is constructed of stainless steel panels, either solid or perforated creating a glistening edge to the eastern lakefront. These forms, viewed from either the lake or the I-10 freeway, provide an iconic image to the downtown CBD. The main building is a simple rectangular form split by the one wave-form creating the lobby entry. Individuals participate within the forms thru the lobby and out onto the boardwalk along the lake. The scale and placement of the forms identify the major museum components while expressing the enormous power of a hurricane. From the city side the museum is a living billboard where a large LED video screen projects information on current weather or news events, a hurricane watch or particular exhibits within the museum. It’s intent is to create a destination along the city’s lakeside promenade. The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center is developed to tell the story of Camille, Andrew, Katrina, Rita and other storms that made their way into the lives of communities along the southeastern United States. The building forms express the enormous power that is a hurricane.

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Architectural Experience

HURRICANE ALLEY, THE GULF OF MEXICO AND LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA Hurricane Alley is an area of warm water in the Atlantic Ocean stretching from the west coast of northern Africa to the east coast of Central America and Gulf Coast of the southern United States. It is within this area that some of the most devastating hurricanes have formed. The temperature of the Atlantic in Hurricane Alley has been steadily growing warmer over the past decades, which some scientists believe may be contributing to an increase in hurricane activity. Louisiana and the city of Lake Charles are uniquely positioned in this deadly alleyway.

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National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

THE LAKE Lake Charles is a lake located on the Calcasieu River just behind the western tier of the City of Lake Charles' city limits. There is a deep channel along its western side (from which flows the Calcasieu River) for large ships to pass. Interstate10 parallels the northern shore of the lake and is a heavily traveled tourist corridor at the midpoint between Houston, TX and Baton Rouge, LA THE GULF The City of Lake Charles is located approximately 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico and north of Lake Calcasieu (Big Lake) along the Calcasieu River.

THE SITE The proposed site is a prominent parcel just north of the convention center bordering Bord du Lac Drive and the east shore of Lake Charles. It is approximately 2.9 acres. The current city masterplan identifies this area as Tract 1- D.

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Limits of Build Out

Lake Charles

W. Mill Street

Division Street

Bor Du La

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c Drive

Tract I-D

Division Street

Broad S treet

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n Limits of Acquisitio 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Public Servitude

Architectural Experience

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c Drive

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CIRCULATION PATTERNS

Pedestrian Access Service Access Vehicular Access Division Street

LANDSCAPE

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Lake Shore Drive

Bor Du La

c Drive

Lake Charles

LEGEND

Broad S treet

AERIAL LOOKING SOUTHEAST

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

Lake Charles

c Drive Bor Du La

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

5 6

LEGEND 1. Lobby 2. Museum Store 3. Tickets 4. Exhibit Area 5. Visitor Storage 6. CafĂŠ 7. Catering Kitchen 8. Big Show Theater 9. Tenant Lobby 10. IT Office 11. Receiving Dock 12. Exhibit Storage 13. Workshop 14. Mechanical Room 15. Substation Room

1 B

2 UP

2 4 2

8 8

16 16

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

32 32

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

LEGEND 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Reception Situation/Board Room Office Storage Open Office Area Tenant Upper Lobby Future Tenant Office Space Lobby Below Exhibit Area Below

3 8

3 3 3

2 4 4

8 8

16 16

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

32 32

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

LEGEND 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Lobby Museum Store Tickets CafĂŠ Catering Kitchen Big Show Theater Visitor Storage

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

ENTRY

WAVE LANDSCAPE AT ENTRY 27

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

LOBBY LOOKING TOWARDS ENTRY

EXHIBITS ENTRY

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

INDOOR CAFE & BIG SHOW ENTRY

OUTDOOR CAFE

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

VIEW TOWARDS WETLANDS EXTERIOR EXHIBIT

VIEW FROM WETLANDS EXTERIOR EXHIBIT 31

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

VIEW FROM SOUTHWEST

VIEW FROM NORTHWEST 33

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Architectural Experience

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design

Summary of Next Steps

SUMMARY OF NEXT STEPS This report continues the momentum established in previous phases. The National Hurricane Museum & Science Center located in the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana has moved from an idea to a potential reality. With the conclusion of this schematic design phase the project has a Board of Directors, a mission and a vision, a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the City of Lake Charles, a registered logo, professional studies (economic feasibility and demand analysis) that support its viability, an interpretive exhibit design, an iconic architectural design and validating statements of probable costs. Much has been accomplished and much more is needed. The following summarizes the next steps required in the journey towards an opening this dynamic facility that will serve the local community, the southwest region of Louisiana and the world. The proposed opening date is 2014.

1. Commence Fundraising A target of 80% funds raised by mid year 2012 2. Secure the Site A water front site, while critical for the success of the project, has unique and time consuming challenges. The project will benefit greatly by early acquisition. Infrastructure and site reclamation should begin as soon as possible and well in advance of the building construction. 3. Hire a Museum Director Many operational related decisions will be made in the next phases of the design process. Having a director on board will ensure that the project development responds specifically to the needs of the NHMSC. 4. Refine the Business Plan It is important that the business plan and project design evolve together to ensure success. 5. Finalize the Design We estimate that the remaining design phases will require one year to complete. This will result in documents for construction. This will require a full-time commitment from a sub-committee of the NHMSC during this period.

SmithGroup | Eisterhold Associates | Bernstein-Rein

6. Hire Key Operational Staff As the project develops, key members of the Museum Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operational team should be hired to assist in the details of the project. 7. Implement a Marketing Plan Marketing should be implemented once the site is secured and the infrastructure construction underway These visible elements of progress are invaluable in building awareness and excitement. This plan will help in creating audience awareness, excitement and assist in the ongoing fundraising efforts. 8. Build It Building construction is a very exciting time in a projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evolution. We expect the building and exhibit construction to be approximately eighteen months in duration. 9. Open It Once construction is complete much is left to do before the museum can be opened. For example, all building systems need to be commissioned to ensure that they perform as designed; Staff needs to be trained on how to operate the facility; Exhibits must to be commissioned and installed. We recommend that a six month period be reserved for this process.

National Hurricane Museum & Science Center / 22423.000 Schematic Design