Concept Design Study Completed 2021
10,700 square feet

Over the course of twelve months beginning in August 2020, Oudens Ello Architecture collaborated with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Town of Provincetown and Center for Coastal Studies to develop a conceptual design for a proposed Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center in Provincetown. An 842-square-mile wild ocean place just off the coast of Massachusetts, the Sanctuary is one of the most productive and biodiverse marine ecosystems in the world and of major historical, cultural and environmental significance. By offering an exciting new space on land, the Visitor Center will provide a unique physical representation of the Sanctuary for everyone from local residents to international travelers to enjoy.

The new 10,700 square-foot Visitor Center will feature interactive exhibits describing the Sanctuary’s wildlife, environmental resources, human uses, challenges, and solutions. Centrally located on MacMillan Pier – the main point of arrival for visitors coming by ferry to Provincetown and departure for whale watch patrons – the Center will serve as a gateway between the Sanctuary and the town. The Center is also envisioned as a community hub, with new public restrooms, exhibit space, a flexible community room for school programs and town events, and open areas for public space and outdoor installations. 

The building itself will be a teaching tool and model for future development in highly vulnerable coastal community. The building will incorporate several sustainable and “net-zero” features and systems to negate carbon emissions. The facility will also be designed to be resilient in the face of environmental changes. Exhibits inside of the building and out will highlight important sustainable issues and solutions.