ABBOTTS CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER

Raleigh, North Carolina

Located on a former landfill site and beside an elementary school, Abbotts Creek Recreation Center transforms an abandoned piece of land into a thriving community park for healthy living and learning. The center’s composition interlocks with the school and creates a series of indoor and outdoor gathering spaces that transform the forgotten site. The center’s upper volume slides past the base providing a welcoming public entry as it connects visitors to the school and landscape. A delicate screen encompasses the upper volume and creates a veil that illuminates the public spaces and defines the entrance to the new community campus.

When the landfill was set to close, local citizens formed a committee to determine the best use for the site. Through a thoughtful approach to land utilization and a collaborative effort between citizens and public employees, the Abbotts Creek Park design process focused on creating a healthy environment for living and learning. Now, situated in the middle of a growing community with many residential neighborhoods and schools, Abbotts Creek Park provides an epicenter for the community to promote healthy living and learning in close proximity to citizens of all ages.

The community center provides a variety of facilities open to public use including a gymnasium, fitness center, numerous classroom and multipurpose spaces both inside and outside. To maximize the value of the facility for its long-term operation, the design incorporates cost effective passive solar design strategies in its orientation, daylighting strategies, operable windows, and sun shading devices. In addition, it uses high-performance building materials for glazing and rainscreen cladding systems, active solar systems for hot water heating, as well as recycled content and regional materials.