recreation center

The building size is 8,169 s.f. and contains approx. 2,400 s.f. of finess area, and 2,500 for changing rooms. Also included is a waiting area, small concession wing, space for offices and public restrooms for use by outdoor recreation area users. The remainder includes space for mechanical and storage, and a long gallery space that serves as access to all buiding functions.

 
The program stipulated that all materials should be as maintainence free as possible, be from a sustainable source, and contribute to the rural-ranch character. (see story below) Hence the exerior materials consist of recycled barnwood, cement board siding, and wood/ resin panels. The pre-engineered timber columns are exposed to express the structure of the buiding. A long stone wall that anchors the building also defines a path to the interior spaces, and serves as a thermal storage wall for passive solar heating and cooling.  The town also wanted the building to have a low profile.


interesting things to know
Materials were also used in their 'raw' state as much as possible. As you walk through the facility, you'll notice OSB plywood ceilings, concrete floors, exposed galvanized ductwork, and other items assembled to reveal the workings of the building. All of the lighting was carefully chosen to highlight the architectural elements, artwork, and specific user tasks. Much of the lighting is indirect, creating a pleasing and comfortable effect.


fun facts about the facility
In addition to the pool features, there are many ammenities incorporated into the building. There are several playful smaller scale structures on the south side of the main buiding, each with a different form, representing different building functions. The corrugated metal clad concession area is designed to evoke images of a sheep-hearder's wagon. After touring a number of similar facilities, the design team noticed that the mechanical rooms in all of the facilities were always buried somewhere invisible to public view. We decided that since the systems supporting the facility are such an integral part of the overall project, that the public should be able to see them and have the opportunity to understand how they work. To do that, we put in a "truth window" so that anyone can see the equipment. There will also be a diagram explaining how the systems work, and lighting for viewing. The window is located behind the kids pool on the west end of the pool deck.


why it is green
In addition to the items mentioned above, a great deal of thought went into the design of the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Without getting too technical, some pretty innovative systems were developed just for this facility. The main roof has a full solar hot water array, partially funded by a grant from CORE. The array provides enough heat for the lap pool, which will be open year-round, with some left over to partially heat the liesure pool in the summer months. The mechanical system also uses the pool water as a large heating and cooling storage area. Significant energy savings are realized by using the pool water for cooling in the summer, and as a heat sync in the winter. For example in the summer when there's a cooling demand, the system dumps heat into the pool water which helps heat the pool and provides cooling for the air conditioning. All of the walls and roofs were constructed from structural insulated panels or "SIP's". These are plywood and foam panels with very high insulation values that install in days rather that weeks. The building is designed to qualify for a high LEED certification rating should the town choose to pursue the certification process. All of the materials, interior and exterior were from non-toxic and recycled sources wherever possible. Careful attention was given to efficient building practices, indoor air quality and other criteria.