The Lodge at Gulf State Park

The Lodge at Gulf State Park is an essential component of the restoration initiative to revitalize the 6,150-acre Alabama’s Gulf State Park, which is the primary revenue generating park for the entire Alabama state park system. The Lodge serves as a model of resilient, environmentally friendly coastal development and improves public access to the park’s beaches, trails, and freshwater ecosystems. The project is certified LEED Gold as well as the first FORTIFIED Commercial™ building and the first SITES Platinum hotel in the world.

In collaboration with Rabun Architects and ArchitectureWorks.

The Lodge was conceived to increase public access to Gulf State Park’s natural assets, celebrate its unique beauty, and provide educational opportunities for everyone. Visitors can easily access the beach as well as over 28 miles of pedestrian and bicycle trails and boardwalks through one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Southeast. The Lodge serves as a regional model for beautiful and resilient coastal stormwater management strategies. Almost two acres of the landscaped areas surrounding the Lodge form a hardworking holistic stormwater management system complemented by native plants that thrive without irrigation.

SUSTAINABLE RESTORATION

Designing for the Future

The Lodge is sited on a portion of the original lodge site, which was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. By building the Lodge closer to the road, space was provided for the natural growth of dunes and habitat between the Lodge and the Gulf, not only protecting wildlife by providing more space for dune habitats, but also protecting human habitats by creating a natural buffer from hurricane forces.

DUNE RESTORATION

Coastal Resiliency and Conservation

The client and design team were keenly aware that the new buildings and landscape needed to support the restoration of this vulnerable and ecologically important area. In the end, 5.67 acres of the permitted building site were preserved to protect both mature remnant dune vegetation and areas where dunes will naturally form. In addition, 14.5 acres of the site were planted with native dunescape vegetation.