Stretching from Mexico to Florida, the Gulf Coast features flat coastal plains, wetlands, barrier islands, and river deltas, forming a rich habitat shaped by a warm, humid climate. Designed by Clayton Korte, the Gulf Coast Botanical Garden invites visitors on an engaging journey that celebrates the region’s distinctive landscapes while advancing its educational mission.

The welcome center features a ticket booth, gift shop, visitor services, and supporting facilities. The design features open-air corridors and large spans of glass beneath sweeping butterfly roofs. Light steel and wood trellises filter sunlight, offering new educational encounters that are woven into the landscape.

The education and event building is fully integrated into its natural surroundings.

Clad in wood siding and topped by a broad overhanging steel roof, its central breezeway and second-floor promenade provide natural ventilation and panoramic views.

The building supports hands-on programming in birding, floodplain ecology, and native stewardship, all within a restrained massing that preserves the gardens’ visual axes and spirit of exploration.

Throughout the site, materials are chosen for their regional character, durability, and resilience. Over time, natural masonry, seasoned woods, and weathered steel will develop a graceful patina, visually receding into the surroundings.