This Museum and Education Center sits on the fragile Outer Banks, a system of barrier islands on the North Carolina coast, which is frequently ravaged by Hurricanes. The Center was constructed to also serve as the local emergency shelter, which meant that it was to withstand a Category 4 Hurricane without collapse or endangering those sheltered.
During a Category 4 storm models showed that the Island would over wash to a depth of up to 10 feet. Although extremely unlikely (200 to 500-year storm), the structure had to survive the 10-foot surge, with the accompanying waves, and 150 mph winds. After such a storm, the occupants needed to be able to walk out shaken, but unharmed.
The structure was designed using a performance-based approach. With life safety criteria for a Category 4 storm, and Immediate occupancy criteria for a Category 3 storm.
There were many technical challenges as the architecture dictated a historic pallet, complete with square head bolts and "black iron" plates. The design of the 4" timber tongue and groove roof diaphragm was also tackled with a performance approach. The building might rack and pop during the Category 4, probably leak a bit, but the windows would stay in their frames and the structure would stand tall through it all.
The classically styled timber connections where a real challenge, with wind loads exceeding 100psf in uplift. The approach was simple: By flipping traditional heavy timber floor connects upside down, concepts for the connections where established and the use of modern strapping was avoided.
The architect for the project was Glave & Holmes Architects and the interior is as remarkable as the exterior.
