New Designs Shown For Ocean Discovery Center

   On Saturday, May 12, USC School of Architecture students presented their designs for an expanded Ocean Discovery Center on the Santa Monica Pier.
   Professor Frank Dimster, who led the class in the semester-long design studio, “Architecture Design IV,” and his students made the presentation of the five top designs — of students Doug Heaton, Katie Bosak, Noah Toomey, Pierre Antounian and Vince Robles — to the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center staff. 
   The students developed conceptual designs and models for a new Ocean Discovery Center that would provide increased education program capacity and more visitor space. The designs incorporated sustainable technologies and innovative designs.
   USC Dean and Professor of the School of Architecture, Robert H. Timme said, “This project was an exciting and challengng one, because of the scale and importance of the Pier, and because of what a project like this can symbolize to the community”.
   UCLA Marine Science Professor and Director of the UCLA Ocean Discovery Center, Dr. Steven Strand, congratulated the students and thanked them for their creative efforts. “Each of these designs brings forward some great ideas about the concept of education and discovery that we stress in our programs here at the Ocean Discovery Center.”
   The models remained on public display throughout the weekend.
   The UCLA Ocean Discovery Center at the Santa Monica Pier is a marine science learning center and aquarium serving K-12 classes from schools in the greater Los Angeles area as well as the general public. Over 20,000 students and another 20,000 visitors are sreved by the Ocean Discovery Center every year.
   For more information please see: www.odc.ucla.edu.