FLCC | The Bunkhouse at Muller Field Station
The Muller Field Station is a 48-acre satellite campus for FLCC’s Environmental Conservation Department at the south end of Honeoye Lake. The facility supports education and research focused on the flora and fauna of the Finger Lakes Region.
To expand its mission, a 24-bed Bunkhouse provides additional capacity for students, researchers, and visiting groups. The seemingly simple addition responds to complex constraints including: an environmentally sensitive site with poor soils, no municipal water, accessibility deficiencies, and limited floor-to-floor dimensions. An insulated structural slab on helical piles addresses geotechnical concerns, while a water tank supplies domestic and fire protection needs. Siting the Bunkhouse adjacent to the Lodge concentrates development within a limited footprint, mitigating impacts to the surrounding conservation easements.
The Bunkhouse is logically organized as a stacked plan, with restrooms and mechanical space along the west retaining wall, and bunkrooms oriented towards eastern views of the pond and wooded hills. A transparent ‘link’ announces the entry, serves as a vestibule, provides accessible circulation, resolves the floor elevations, and transitions between old and new.
Canopies extend the building into the landscape. The west canopy reinforces the entry, while the east canopy creates a sheltered gathering and work area where researchers can prepare for excursions. Heavy timber framing adds warmth to the neutral palette.
Drawing from ‘Parkitecture,’ the restrained shed massing and clean detailing complement the Lodge without imitating it. The new accommodations allow students, researchers, and visitors to spend more time at the Field Station, expanding opportunities for hands-on learning of the region’s ecosystems. The project connects people more closely to the landscape while strengthening the Field Station’s role in environmental education, research, and stewardship.
