MBRIC
Marine, Business, Research and Innovation Centre developed from an international competition-winning proposal.
Ceiba, Puerto Rico · Marine research / Innovation centre · Commissioned project · Construction documentation completed 2025
Details
MBRIC is a commissioned marine business, research, and innovation centre at Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The project was developed by KOSY from an international competition-winning concept through schematic design, design development, and construction documentation, with Adorno Arquitectos as executive architect and the Local Redevelopment Authority for Roosevelt Roads as client.
Located on a former naval peninsula between mangroves, Ensenada Honda, and an existing pier, the project combines laboratories, workshops, public visitor spaces, an auditorium, coworking, restaurant, observation areas, business offices, and living units around a protected central courtyard. The building is lifted above the coastal ground plane to address storm surge, maintain access to the pier, and create a shaded public and service level below.
MBRIC won unbuilt project of the year by both AIA Puerto Rico (American Institutes of Architects) and the CAAPR (Colegio de Arquitects y Arquitectos Paisajista de Puerto Rico) architecture bienal of Puerto Rico.
Read more about the MBRIC site visits and stakeholder process
Project
MBRIC
Location
Ceiba, Puerto Rico
Client
Local Redevelopment Authority for Roosevelt Roads
Type
Marine research / Innovation centre
Status
Commissioned project
Stage
Construction documents completed
Year
2022–2025
Program
Wet and dry laboratories, workshops, visitor centre, auditorium, coworking, restaurant, observation deck, business offices, living units, courtyard, pier access, service areas
Design
KOSY
Role
Design architect
Executive Architect
Adorno Arquitectos
Competition visuals
Studio Sang
Developed design
The commissioned design develops the circular competition concept into an elevated coastal research building with a protected facade, shaded ground level, and clear arrival from the west.
Coastal peninsula
The proposal reworks a former naval peninsula at Roosevelt Roads, using the existing pier, narrow land access, mangrove edge, and water on three sides to shape the building’s circular form and elevated ground level.
Building logic
A circular building responds to the peninsula condition, lifting the main program above storm surge while using a protected exterior facade and shaded central courtyard to manage climate, access, and social life.
Program ring
Public visitor spaces, laboratories, workshops, coworking, business offices, restaurant, observation deck, and living units are organised as a compact ring around the central courtyard.
Drawing development
The circular concept was developed into coordinated documentation, organising research, public, living, and service spaces around the central courtyard.
Level 2 - Construction Documents
Level 1 - Design development
Level 2 - Design development
Coastal resilience
Landscape and building work together to provide shade, ventilation, stormwater management, durable materials, and protected outdoor space for a harsh coastal site.
Central courtyard
The protected courtyard acts as the social centre of the research facility, connecting visitors, researchers, residents, and staff around a shaded planted void.
Weatherbox
The facade works as a double-layer coastal envelope. The outer anodized aluminium screen protects the building from sun, salt exposure, wind, and hurricane debris, while the inner facade protects against hurricane winds and balances glass and solid wall to tune daylight, heat gain, ventilation, privacy, and program needs.
From competition to documentation
MBRIC developed from an international competition-winning proposal into a commissioned research facility carried through design development and construction documentation.