The Marina
Brattleboro, VT
The Marina
The Marina Restaurant, a local and regional hotspot, burned to the ground on July 2, 2010 and rose from the ashes in a new dynamic form, ready for business on July 2, 2011. We accomplished the owner’s aggressive goal of reopening within one year’s time by working closely with the owner and the builder, while making vast improvements in resiliency, aesthetics, accessibility, and functionality. We accomplished this on an incredibly difficult site—within feet of the river and within a FEMA floodplain.
Upon entering, a warm, inviting, and energetic experience awaits the patron. An interior circulation “streetscape” provides access to unique dining environments within and further enhances the connection to the exterior dining spaces. Innovations include: a natural ventilation system, motorized exterior sunshades, a tension membrane canopy, extensive insulation and air sealing, local/sustainable materials, SIP panels, roof and wall ventilation, extremely efficient HVAC, and flood prevention vents. On this latter item, we worked closely with the structural engineer to provide flood vents in the riverside foundation wall that, in the case of a flood, would allow water to enter the basement crawlspace and then exit as the water subsided. In order to get closer to the water’s edge, we designed the building to cantilever 8 feet past the foundation wall on the water side.
While the new restaurant is far more functional and efficient, offering more indoor and outdoor dining, and vastly improved accessibility, the success of this project comes from acknowledging the original building in layout and feel, while bringing it forward in quality, durability, interest, and memorability. The design incorporates unique dining experiences, all with incredible views of the West River and Green Mountains beyond.