Berkeley Ferry Terminal
a ferry terminal for the berkeley marina — an aerodynamic etfe shell over a concrete podium, built on the theme of material imposters and structural expression.
concept
a ferry terminal for weta's bay ferry 2050 expansion, sited on the cap of the berkeley marina. the project takes up the theme of material imposters and structural expression — an aerodynamic massing that reads as one seamless gesture, with curved forms borrowed from airplane and nautical design. a lightweight steel portal frame defines the upper shell; a robust concrete podium anchors the building to the water. precedents: SOM's Pepsi-Cola Building and Anne Truitt's sculpture — flatness, restraint, and quiet structural expression.
site
the marina is a former landfill at the edge of sensitive estuarine and migratory-bird habitat, so the terminal is tuned to minimize disruption while activating the waterfront. the long axis runs east–west to pull daylight deep into the interior; the material shifts from concrete on the wind-facing west to steel and glass on the east, bracing against the prevailing bay winds.
structure & envelope
a steel arch system forms a lightweight frame for the roof, transitioning from a 33-ft arch to a beam-like structure as it runs the building's length. the envelope is a triple-layer ETFE cushion — translucent / fritted / translucent — on a diagrid frame, the fritting tuned from 20–50% to solar exposure. below, a cast-in-place concrete podium on pile and spread footings carries the program over the water.
environment
the shell is a passive, naturally-ventilated volume: operable windows and openable ETFE panels drive cross- and stack-ventilation at a ~5% daylight factor under the membrane. the enclosed core runs on a radiant slab paired with side-vented DOAS units. greywater treatment, PV solar carports, and battery storage close the loop.
46,600 sq ft · two stories · 50 ft · designed with yushao wu, fall 2024.