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Ocean Discovery Centerworking name · Planning phase, home

Documents

Planning phase. An independent plan; nothing is funded or built yet.

Every public document about the plan, from the shortest to the longest. Each keeps the same address, so a shared link keeps working. Every figure in them is sourced on the Research & Sources page.

  1. In short

    The plan in two or three sentences.

    The Ocean Discovery Center (working name) is a planned place in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to explore the ocean, its seafloor and the underwater robots that map it, with free or low-cost access as the aim. It would start with programs in existing venues, if they agree, then a temporary exhibit, then a small center in a reused building, each step only if the one before works. Planning phase: an independent plan; nothing is funded or built yet.

    It also sits at the top of the executive summary.

  2. Executive summary

    The Ocean Discovery Center plan in about 250 words: what it is, who it helps, where it is planned, where it stands and what it needs.

    Read the executive summaryDownload the executive summary (PDF, 221 KB)

  3. The plan in two pages

    The longer summary: what visitors would do, the planned location, how it would grow, natural first, the partner and where it stands.

    Read the plan in two pages

  4. One-page visual

    The plan on one printable page, with a schematic map of the planned location and the path from free programs to a small center.

    See the one-page visualDownload the one-page visual (PDF, 139 KB)Image of the one-page visual (PNG, 822 KB)

  5. Pictures of the plan

    One picture of each place in the plan. Illustrations of a plan, not designs: no building has been chosen.

    • Illustration of the planned center in a reused brick building, opened up to show an ocean gallery, a robot lab with a test tank, a data lab and a quiet room, with rooftop solar, a water refill station, restrooms, a bus stop and a step-free entrance.
      Illustration · Planning phaseThe center. An existing brick building would be reused and adapted. It is opened up here to show an ocean gallery, a robot lab with a test tank, a data lab and a quiet room, with rooftop solar, a food and water hub with restrooms, a step-free entrance and a bus stop. No building has been chosen; the gallery is a projection with no live animals, and the test tank holds only water and a small robot.Scalable picture of the center (SVG, 54 KB)Full size picture of the center (PNG, 527 KB)
    • Illustration of an outdoor ocean-themed playground inside a low fence: a whale climbing structure with a slide and a climbing net, a reef climber, a sand dig, shade sails over a bench, and a water refill station by an open gate. A wheelchair user is rolling up a step-free ramp to a low deck, and a person walks a leashed dog outside the fence.
      Illustration · Planning phaseThe ocean play area. Outdoors and free: a whale climber, a reef climber, a seafloor sand dig, shade, a step-free ramp and water refill, with leashed pets kept outside the fence. It would start as play days with portable pieces in an existing outdoor space; the permanent play area would come later, built to public playground safety standards (CPSC, ASTM F1487), accessible, inspected by a certified inspector, and only on land whose owner agrees.Scalable picture of the ocean play area (SVG, 58 KB)Full size picture of the ocean play area (PNG, 539 KB)
    • Illustration of two separate buildings joined by a shared glass lobby: the ocean center in a reused brick building on the left and a timber-and-glass nature and science center on the right, both with rooftop solar. The lobby holds food, water and restrooms; in front are ocean and nature play areas, a meadow, and a step-free plaza where a wheelchair user rolls toward a bus stop.
      Illustration · Planning phaseThe shared campus. Two separate plans by the same person, side by side: the center and the Bethlehem Nature & Science Center (a planned project, not an existing organization) would share a lobby with food, water and restrooms, with ocean and nature play areas and a bus stop outside. The idea also includes rooftop solar, rainwater collection, an e-bike station, a meadow, and a Connect station (a separate proposed transit project) by the door. Any stop or station is the transit agency's and the City's decision. Nothing is agreed or built.Scalable picture of the shared campus (SVG, 70 KB)Full size picture of the shared campus (PNG, 487 KB)

  6. Full plan

    The Master Plan, version 0.1: a cover and a summary, then this site's locations, experiences, science, phases, vision and sources pages, printed in landscape. The pages on this site are the latest version.

    Download the full plan (PDF, 8.1 MB)