Photo © Mark Herboth

For its new visitor center, the client wanted upgraded exhibition space that would fully retell the story of the Fort Fisher site. The program also included staff offices, an orientation space, a multipurpose room for community events, and a gift shop. Early in design, Clark Nexsen decided to raise the building to provide clear views of the fort’s earthworks. Starting conceptually with a rectangular volume, the design team rotated the lower floor 90 degrees to offer a passage beneath the upper floor and reveal the earthen mounds. That move also provided a covered area under the building where visitors can gather.

Photo © Mark Herboth

Photo © Mark Herboth.

The sleek modern structure, partially lifted on columns, is a welcome departure from the hackneyed beachfront architecture so often seen in coastal communities. Clad in a mixture of a dark charcoal grey fiber cement rainscreen with light gray wooden accent walls, the exterior exudes a warm materiality that complements the twisted trunks of surrounding live oaks. On the building’s south face, a broad glass curtain wall admits generous daylight.

Inside the 22,000-square-foot building, visitors are greeted by a reception area tucked beneath an open staircase that’s illuminated by a rooftop clerestory. At the top of the stairs, the orientation area features a brief video to set the stage for further exploration. It’s surrounded by the exhibit galleries, which tell a story that reaches far beyond the siege of the fort. “There is archaeological evidence of indigenous people that inhabited the site 9,000 years ago,” Stallings says. That story is now told, along with the narrative of enslaved laborers used to construct the fort.

Photos © Mark Herboth

After 150 years of tidal shifts and hurricane-force winds, most of the original fort has been lost to beach erosion. That meant resilience was a key goal for the project. “The majority of the envelope is intended to be both resilient and energy efficient,” says principal Rob Harkey. Not only is the rainscreen system robust, but the recessed areas surrounding the feature windows are clad in acetylated wood, a long-lasting material that’s resistant to mold, mildew, rot, and insects.

The threat of high water was addressed by placing the first floor two feet above the 100-year flood plain, a decision that was tested by a tropical cyclone shortly before the center opened in 2024. Water pooled in the parking lot, but the building remained dry.

Photo © Mark Herboth

Ultimately, the design for the new visitor center was aimed at improving the visitor experience. That was accomplished first by making a better connection between the building and the site, bringing more daylight into the space, and framing important views. But it goes a step further by honoring the legacy of everyone whose lives left an imprint on this hallowed ground.