Monterey Bay Aquarium Master Plan

San Francisco, California

The Monterey Bay Aquarium — an internationally recognized leader in marine science, conservation, and public education — engaged Mark Cavagnero Associates Architects to develop a comprehensive master plan for its multifaceted campus.

CSC supported this effort by serving as a strategic bridge between the design team and institutional leadership, ensuring that architectural vision aligned with mission, values, and long-term public impact.

The engagement focused on:

• Facilitating cross-stakeholder dialogue throughout the master planning process
• Integrating institutional goals related to education, access, and community engagement into design strategy
• Exploring how placemaking can deepen public connection to marine conservation
• Strengthening alignment between physical space, visitor experience, and organizational purpose

Rather than approaching master planning as a purely architectural exercise, the process treated design as an expression of institutional identity and relational responsibility — shaping how diverse publics encounter, learn from, and engage with the Aquarium’s work.

This project reflects CSC’s broader commitment to aligning physical infrastructure, cultural purpose, and community engagement — ensuring that built environments support both institutional vitality and public good.