One of the guiding principles of Acheson Venture’s Port Huron waterfront restoration project is that visitors should not just be attracted to, or entertained by, Desmond Landing’s attractions – they should be “challenged to explore, learn, and be inspired.” Hence Kahn’s challenge to preserve, restore, and reuse a century-old train depot to create WaterWorx, a 2,000 square foot interactive maritime learning center and laboratory that is already attracting school children by the bus loads. more...
Preservation of the original structure took many careful, if not painstaking, forms: cleaning and tuck-pointing the brick façade; refurbishing frames and windows to a freshened yet still-vintage appeal; and removing and replacing the original soffit with cedar bead board. The building was structurally reinforced and enhanced – including improvements to ensure its viability for future generations – as was the area immediately surrounding it. Kahn employed modern concrete mixtures and colors, for instance, to create pathways suggestive of a trail strewn with railroad ties; and stamped concrete applications made its perimeter plank platform resemble vintage burnished oak.
Once inside, Michigan’s abundant nautical charms come to life in a vivid learning environment emphasizing the Great Lakes region’s maritime lore. A ship’s wheel navigates guests through WaterWorx’s video and digital archives of research, publications, and simulations, and a touch-screen map guides them through the Great Lake State’s storied history of lighthouses, shipwrecks, and waterways – virtual nautical adventures that follow predetermined routes or are guided by individuals seeking to chart their own paths.
WaterWorx enables exploration of Michigan’s marine-centered environments – from geography, to ecology, to the life sciences – in content-rich and technologically advanced surroundings that will ultimately impact us in our homes, at our schools, and in our communities.
