The Sea, Sand & Stars Learning Center features a series of boardwalks and outdoor learning stations located in wooded wetlands behind the Wilson Boulevard campus. The center includes a 7,700-square-foot environmental learning facility located behind Orange Beach Elementary housing a planetarium, a weather station, a technology laboratory and a 5,000-gallon saltwater aquarium.

CMB worked with the school's principal, Steve Baker, his staff, and architects to design and build the walkways and learning stations. The walkways are six foot wide and rise to elevations of over eight feet. They take walkers along a meandering path through the woods over and around a variety of plants including the rare pitcher plant and animals including snapping turtles.

The five learning stations include four open gazebos. The gazebos are 24' wide, octagon-shaped and include rounded wood decking, wrap-around benches, picketed handrails and tongue-n-groove wooden ceilings. The fifth learning station is 24' wide, octagon-shaped, fully-enclosed, air-conditioned structure and includes a fully-functional weather station.

Learning Station

One of five gazebo-styled "Learning Station" built by CMB along the elevated, wooden "Nature Trail".

Walkway to Sea, Sand & Stars Center

Walkway & Learning Station

Learning Station connected to Nature Walk

Walkway Begins

200 feet of elevated boardwalk leading into wetlands.

Weather Station

Walkway leading to fully-enclosed "Weather Station." This 500 square foot building along the Naturewalk includes a functional weather detection and reporting station.

More of the 1000 feet of walkway

More walkway

More Naturewalk & Learning Stations

Learning Station Seating

Each Learning Station is designed to seat up to 25 kids.

Gazebo Details

The octagon-shaped gazebo includes such details as a tongue-in-groove pine ceiling.

Attention to Detail

Attention to detail is what sets CMB apart. Here is an example of our use of trim to cover the unattractive metal hurricane straps required by the building codes.