Florida Architects designed the new 42,721 GSF Natural Sciences building to replace Gulf Coast State College’s original 1960s-era facility with a modern, future-focused academic environment. The three-story building brings together state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms for physics, anatomy & physiology, marine biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and microbiology, all supported by dedicated prep spaces and materials storage areas.

Faculty and staff benefit from thoughtfully planned offices, a conference room, and a flexible workroom, while students enjoy collaborative areas integrated throughout the circulation spaces.

As a signature design feature, the project includes 15 custom wall murals and a series of glass window graphics created specifically for the building’s three floors—visually expressing the scientific disciplines housed within and celebrating the wonder of science, nature, and the Gulf Coast ecosystem. Much of the mural photography was provided by local photographer Steve Bauer.