The Oxbow Eco-Center is a highly visible community facility located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, owned and operated by St. Lucie County. The Center’s mission is to provide educational programs that foster an awareness and appreciation of the natural world, an understanding of ecosystems and sustainability, and a sense of stewardship toward Florida and all of its inhabitants. The challenge of this competition is a master plan for this organization, which presents a unique opportunity to highlight the mutual goal of the USGBC and Oxbow Eco-Center to educate the greater public about sustainable development strategies and the importance of green design to implement those strategies.

Through this master planning process, we would like to address the needs of the Oxbow Eco-Center, expand its ability to bring innovative and informative programs to a variety of audiences, and highlight the latest trends in green/sustainable development.

It is the Oxbow Center’s goal to be able to host lectures and workshops and create classroom space for school and youth groups. The master plan should take into account the current structures on the site, trail system, and land features to determine how best to address these goals in relationship to the existing amenities and in the most environmentally conscious manner.

Brief (PDF)