Raymond Murphy Water Reclamation Facility

Diamondhead,
Mississippi

Diamondhead is a small city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that was heavily damaged by the hurricane events of 2005. This project was for a new water reclamation facility to replace an out-dated facility damaged by the storms. Markdesign, LLC served as a sub-contract architect to the prime contract holder, engineer CDM Smith. The buildings were designed to conform to the prescriptive massing and building materials requirements of the Diamondhead City Zoning Ordinance. The design also responded to the owner’s interest in using sturdy, durable building materials and ease of maintenance. Special care was taken to maximize natural light and views to the exterior in occupied spaces. The project includes a Maintenance Building (1-floor, 1,795 sq ft) for repairs to vehicles and equipment; an Operations Building (2-floors, 5,572 sq ft) with control rooms, staff lockers and toilets, a staff breakroom, a manager’s office, a file room, and water testing laboratory; a Solids Handling Building (2-floors, 6,831 sq ft) for solid waste processing and truck loading; a Grit Building (1-floor, 912 sq. ft) for water filtration equipment and waste unloading; and a Chemical Building (1-floor, 1,491 sq ft) for the storage of chemical canisters and chemical mixing control rooms.