A broader vision for the SAMREC Rehabilitation and Education Centre in Cape Recife which builds upon the facilities provided by the recently completed Phase 1 building. The masterplan envisions larger treatment and hospital areas as well as a public viewing facility supplemented by amphitheatres and lecture venues to cater for visitors. In 2003 the South African Marine Rehabilitaion and Education Centre Trust embarked on a project to establish a state of the art rehabilitation centre for marine mammals. Ideally situated in the most ecologically sensitive area of Port Elizabeth, the building is a entry point to the city's most prominent nature reserve, Cape Recife. Working very closely with the client in the pre-design phase paved the way for an intimate understanding of the functional requirements of the centre. The result is a functionally efficient, sustainable design with an iconic aesthetic which reflects the attitude of the facility's representative environmental groups towards the impact of development on the natural environment.
