Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art

The Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art core 385-acre campus is located adjacent to the scenic Brandywine River and as a result, much of the campus is within the floodplain. The campus and museum, including historic buildings, have a history of floods. The frequency and level of flooding have increased with climate change and upstream development.

As a contributor to the campus master plan led by Cooper Robertson, Meliora provided civil engineering analyses and recommendations so that proposed campus improvements and new buildings can achieve BCMA’s goals of sustainability as well as meet local municipal and state requirements.

Design recommendations were based on regulatory flood permitting requirements as well as practical considerations related to floodplain risks. Engineering guidelines encompassed buildings, campus grading and earthwork, stormwater management, and new driveways, parking and paths.

Meliora also supported the master plan with structural engineering recommendations, and subsequently provided civil engineering and land development approvals for a new mechanical building constructed in 2021 after Hurricane Ida.