University of Southern Mississippi Student Resource Center
This 23,085 SF Executive Education and Conference Center on the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Park campus serves as a regional destination for innovation, professional development, and lifelong learning.
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Expanding the university’s footprint along Highway 90, the project enhances campus visibility and establishes a new landmark presence on the coast.
Sited just east of Beach Park Place, the center complements USM’s broader Gulf Coast initiatives—including satellites at the Stennis Space Center, Port of Gulfport, Gulf and Ship Island Building, and the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. Together, these sites form a connected network of research and academic resources, advancing the university’s leadership in innovation and its commitment to supporting the region’s growing Blue Economy.
Design efforts centered on honoring the site’s natural character—a grove of mature live oaks. Preserving these trees required a thoughtful response to the site’s irregular geometry. The result is a pair of buildings, each housing distinct program elements, that bend and shift to accommodate the existing canopy while sharing a unifying architectural feature: an exterior covered porch, a nod to regional traditions of gathering and shade. The southern building is designed for small group interactions and flexible workspaces, while the northern building supports larger conferences and events, welcoming visitors from across the Gulf South.
While the project is fully designed, it is not currently scheduled for construction.