Oregon State University Gladys Marine Building

Located in Newport, Oregon, this 72,000-square-foot academic research building on Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center campus is also the first tsunami vertical evacuation building in Oregon. The Gladys Marine Building serves the Marine Studies Initiative, a new interdisciplinary program involving all 11 OSU colleges to provide access to the sea for students, faculty, and staff. Here, students, faculty, and staff converge to explore and harness the vast potential of marine sciences, fostering collaboration and discovery in an unparalleled coastal setting.

YGH Architecture designed the building to withstand a 9.0 earthquake and an associated tsunami. A ramp leads from ground level to the roof of the three-story structure to serve as a vertical evacuation site for more than 900 people. The building has a three-story academic and research core, connected to a two-story wing that includes community space, an innovation lab, and an auditorium that would require acoustic control to promote concentration and focus while fostering collaboration.

Collaborative labs support a new teaching and research model with a curriculum that blends natural and social science, providing a rich environment for cross-disciplinary discovery, collaboration, and expression. The Gladys Valley Marine Studies building is the result of OSU’s determination to preserve its Hatfield campus as a place of innovation, research, and education.

YGH worked with us to improve the auditorium's sound quality and occupant experience. Outfitting the space with Kirei custom cut tiles, the design connects users’ functional needs to Newport’s iconic Yaquina Bay Bridge and estuary through colors, textures, materiality, and art. The decorative tiles offer acoustic performance with a fabric-like finish and are made from 100% PET, containing 60% post-consumer content. Installed as a wall solution in the project, the hues of blues, orange, gray, and black spread throughout creating beautiful wall landscapes for students that are also functional.

YGH chose Kirei for our unwavering commitment to sustainability and the remarkable texture of our PET-felt products. Our sustainability initiatives make a significant impact by diverting hundreds of millions of plastic water bottles away from landfills and waterways, embodying a proactive approach to environmental responsibility. Additionally, our innovative acoustic solutions not only minimize distractions and discomfort but also enhance the learning environment, fostering collaboration and enriching the overall experience.