For years, the retired veteran would scour jungles, streams and mangrove stands throughout Guam, methodically searching for weapons and equipment of war lost to the elements.
Over time his collection grew to included everything from small arms and artillery pies to jeeps and aircraft, American and Japanese both – as the island slowly yielded artifacts dating to the pivotal 1944 Battle of Guam.
From Roadside Collection to Cultural Institution
For many years his collection was housed in an informal roadside grouping of Quonset huts located not far from where many of those ferocious WW2 clashes were fought. Some years after his death, with increasing interest being shown in the Pacific theater, his descendants approached us with a request to design a museum that not only housed the artifacts but also narrated the story of the battle for Guam.
Adapting Existing Structures for a New Purpose
The site was a group of existing, prefabricated, 2 story, twin-tee concrete buildings. Originally constructed as shelter for racing hounds, the proportions, access, stairs and other infrastructure were surprisingly adequate for our purposes.
A Unified Approach to Storytelling and Display
The architecture, interior design and landscape plan evolved into a coherent vision that placed the military hardware in covered, outdoor exhibits while creating state of the art interior spaces dedicated to articulating the unfolding of the conflict.
Off-Site Fabrication for Rapid Installation
The entirety of the interior construction, including the exhibitions, visitor support spaces, ticket offices, food service, gift shop, veterans lounge and administrative facilities were designed to be constructed off-site in our own workshops for rapid delivery and easy assembly on site.
