Skyco Skylights

Missouri State University Ozark Education Center / BNIM

The Missouri State University Ozarks Education Center, a 4,310 sf facility nestled in the Ozark Mountains, serves as a gateway for ecological research and education, accommodating students, researchers, and community groups. Designed with a “light touch” on the landscape, the center includes sleeping quarters, a dining hall, residential kitchen, classrooms, and program spaces, all oriented to connect visitors with the surrounding state conservation areas. A central dogtrot divides the main building into community and residential areas, offering views of sunrise and sunset, passive cooling via large barn doors, and a roof oculus that links sky and earth while bringing water into the space. Three cabins, tucked into the sloped, forested site, further immerse users in natural elements, with operable windows for ventilation and large glass apertures framing forest vistas. Through its orientation, materials, and layout, the MSU Ozarks Education Center creates an experiential environment that integrates learning, research, and sustainable design with the surrounding ecology.