community recreation & wellness center
SHELBY BURNETT 1
CONTENTS
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STATEMENTS
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RESEARCH
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SITE
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INSPIRATION
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PROCESS + CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT DIAGRAMS PRELIMINARY SKETCHES
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SCHEMATIC PLANS
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SPACES
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FINISH PALETTE
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FURNITURE
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BUILDING SECTION
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GOALS + OBJECTIVES
THESIS STATEMENT Community centers promote community development and unity, serve as vibrant gathering places for members of their community, encourage mental and physical well-being amongst their users, and promote sustainable practices through the implementation of energy-saving designs and environmental considerations.
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PROBLEM STATEMENT This thesis project explores the design of a three-story, 53,300 square foot community recreation and wellness center in Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on sustainable design. Addressing growing obesity concerns and the need to make Melbourne’s neighborhoods more sustainable, productive, and livable, the Carlton Community Recreation and Wellness Center will meet various needs within the community. To provide a multifunctional sanctuary for local adults and youth alike, the facility will include a fitness and aquatic center, recreation spaces, cafÊ, meeting rooms, resource center, daycare, and more. By emphasizing community and sustainability in its design, the Community Recreation & Wellness Center will model healthier, more sustainable lifestyles for the residents of Melbourne and beyond, instilling a greater sense of environmental responsibility and obligation to reduce environmental impact.
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RESEARCH Australia’s second largest city, Melbourne serves as the capital of Victoria, boasting an increasingly diverse and multicultural population. As a result of its size and location, Melbourne is extremely rich in culture and the arts. The city hosts dozens of festivals to celebrate aspects of its culture. The city is known as the unofficial sporting capital of Australia, featuring venues dedicated to cricket, tennis, Australian football, horse racing, and more. Tying in well with the focus of this thesis project - sustainability - a few of Melbourne’s best perks are its abundance of parks and gardens, its people’s investment in the environment, and a national emphasis on sustainability initiatives and the importance of green spaces. The population places great value in its city’s natural attractions and cherishing them. Known as a “City by the Sea,” a popular Melbourne attraction is the Great Ocean Road, one of the world’s most famous coastal drives, passing seaside towns, the famous Bells Beach, and 12 Apostles, one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks.
MELBOURNE ARCHITECTURE The architecture of Melbourne is marked by an extensive juxtaposition of old and new architecture. The city is noted for preserving a significant amount of Victorian architecture, while featuring a vast array of modern architecture, leading to the title of “Australia’s most European city”.
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SITE Located within a 10-minute walk, drive, or bike ride from two prominent neighborhoods within Melbourne - Carlton and Parkville - and across the street from the University of Melbourne’s main campus, the Carlton Community Center serves as a hub for a diverse population. Catering to old and young, native and international, the Center will become a place to connect many different people in the way that Australia’s coastline connects its major cities. The site features green space, an open courtyard, recreation courts and fields, and ease of access from any side, making it an overall welcoming and inclusive environment.
A CYCLING CITY Considered Australia’s best city for cycling, Melbourne’s network of bike lanes, paths, and cycling trails covers more than 135 kilometers of on- and off-road routes. A four-year plan aims to increase the number of cyclists by 50%, while in the past two years, $8M has been invested in cycle paths and the launch of a bike hire scheme. In addition to bike lanes (shown in green in the graphic below), Melbourne has an extensive bus transit system, with over 300 routes in operation & a varying range of service frequencies.
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INSPIRATION Inspired by the eroded rock formations found along Australia’s beloved coastlines, the Carlton Community Recreation and Wellness Center connects users to nature and explores how this connection can better foster a sense of community. Australia’s coast dominates the nation’s landscapes and reflects resilience, pride, and national unity, while also serving the community socially, economically, and environmentally. Influenced by the interaction of water and rock along the coast, the space incorporates design elements that abstract the curvlinear forms, layering, and undulating movements created during this exchange and experiments with scale and positive and negative space.
PROCESS + CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT This building posed several architectural challenges in terms of the column grid and being surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Finding ways to work with the existing conditions to create a light and airy space that maximized natural light was of utmost importance. Beyond that, the main priority was to integrate the concept where possible. Here, you will see the development of these ideas, from initial diagramming to conceptual design and more.
COLUMN GRID
BUILDING GEOMETRIES
An underlying column grid could be used to inform zoning & organization, influence circulation paths, or create the opportunity for a unique design element.
Dividing the floor plan into “zones,” influenced by the building’s geometries, to group spaces by function, activity level, etcetera, will aid in clarity of design & organization.
CIRCULATION CHANNEL
SUN STUDY
Keeping circulation along the building’s interior bend aid in maximizing views, creating consistency, and organizing spaces along the building’s outer edge.
The position of the building on the site is intended to maximize daylight into the central atrium space and activity rooms.
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FROM CONCEPT TO CONSTRUCTION By abstracting the architectural formations created by the interaction of water and rock (meandering coastline, cliffs, sea stacks, sea caves and arches, and bay and headlands), the space provides moments of prospect, refuge, passage, and landmarks to engage users, navigate them through the space, and accommodate a range of functions.
Key features and elements in the space are abstracted from Australia’s coastal forms, aiding in wayfinding, visibility, user comfort, and directing movement throughout the space. MEANDERING COASTLINE: FLOW
CLIFF: PROSPECT
SEA STACK: LANDMARK
SEA CAVE + ARCH: PASSAGE
BAY + HEADLANDS: REFUGE
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CLIFF: PROSPECT
YOGA DECK + POOL CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT INSPIRED BY CLIFFS AND SEA STACKS
EMULATING FAMILIAR FORMS The mezzanine shape is inspired by the meandering coastline, created by the collision of water and rock, that results in a free-flowing, organic form. The mezzanine offers points of prospect and emphasizes both vertical and horizontal circulation throughout the space.
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FIRST FLOOR The locker rooms and sauna located on the first floor serve guests and promote health and wellness by encouraging exercise and activity. Their location within the building offers easy access to the pool and is adjacent to vertical circulation elements to transition to second-floor fitness spaces. The open community courtyard can be accessed from three different points within the building to provide a smooth transition from indoor to outdoor spaces and encourages people to be more active and engaged with nature. As people enter the building, their line of sight directs them to the reception desk, straight back to the elevator, or to the staircases to their left and right.
The curved bench emulates the form of the above floor plate and directs movement throughout the lobby and entry, while also providing a comfortable place to socialize, relax, get work done, or enjoy a bite to eat from the adjacent café.
The “social stair” serves as one of the main social hubs within the community center, offering a view of the surrounding areas and a moment of prospect. It seamlessly transitions to an entertainment space and auditorium for special events and speakers. Its location draws visitors into the space and to the core of the building, further encouraging social interaction. A secluded lounge space offers a moment of rest and refuge from the activity of the main atrium space and “social stair.”
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SECOND FLOOR The yoga deck, overlooking the pool, is inspired by the overhanging nature of cliffs, verticality of sea stacks, and the levels of prospect and refuge provided by different architectural elements formed by the interactions of water and rock. It serves to emphasize the importance of wellness in the building and for the community of Melbourne.
Two openings on the second and third floors offer guests the ability to see what is happening below and allow an abundance of natural light to come in from the skylights.
The juice and smoothie bar offers healthy drinking options for users after their workout, yoga, or cycling class.
The multipurpose room provides a great deal of flexibility, used for fitness classes, as a dance studio, or as a reservable space for community events, meetings, and more.
The community gym is located in the “bend� of the building, providing visibility into the space for ease of access, wayfinding, and safety reasons.
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THIRD FLOOR The music room, pottery and arts studio, and prayer room emphasize the importance of nourishing your mind and soul within the space. By promoting creativity and inclusivity, guests feel supported, appreciated, and empowered, as they are able to express their true and full selves.
Abundant lounge seating throughout the building allows people to choose how and where they want to work, socialize, and relax and puts them in control.
Keeping circulation along the inner walls of the building and consistent across all three floors aids in familiarizing users with the space, wayfinding, and maximizing views onto the community courtyard.
The resource center and reservable meeting rooms and classrooms located on the third floor offer professional development services and resources, a place for mobile workers to connect to technology and one another, and flexibility for a variety of community meetings. The classrooms can be opened up into one large space thanks to NanaWalls between the spaces, for use for forums, town meetings, or a large multipurpose space.
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SPACES Inspired by Australia’s coastal rock formations, the Carlton Community Recreation and Wellness Center connects users to nature and explores how this connection can better foster a sense of community. Influenced by the interaction of water and rock along the coast, the space incorporates design elements that abstract the curvlinear forms, layering, and undulating movements created during this exchange and experiments with scale and positive and negative space. Overall, the goal of the space is to create a gathering place with a strong sense of identity for Australians of all ages and backgrounds to come together, be social, share ideas, and build a greater sense of community.
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LOBBY + ATRIUM
SOCIAL STAIR This stair feature located within the first floor lobby and atrium serves as a social hub within the space, providing a place to relax, chat with friends, or observe community happenings during the day. For special events, the stairs can be used as auditorium seating for special events and guest speakers. Its rigid form contrasts the curvilinear nature of the mezzanine and further illustrates the difference in the aerial view of coastline versus its rigid, rocky up-close texture.
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FIRST FLOOR LOUNGE
FOSTERING COMMUNITY THROUGH YOUR “EVERYDAY” The Carlton Community Center aims to elevate your daily routine, bringing you the convenience of multiple health and wellness facilities within a single shell, while also encouraging interaction with those around you. With open activity spaces, a range of lounge seating, and places for “casual collisions” to occur, the facility strengthens bonds within the Melbourne community and, in turn, aids in further boosting health and wellness within its users.
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POOL + YOGA DECK
YOGA DECK
NOURISHING YOUR MIND, BODY, & SOUL Just as nature serves as a place to focus one’s mind, body, and soul, the Center will function as a source of total nourishment for its users. This facility hopes to model healthier, more environmentallyconcious lifestyles for the residents of Melbourne and beyond, instilling a greater sense of responsibility and obligation to reduce environmental impact. With community, biophilic design, sustainability, and a cohesive brand in mind, the Carlton Community Recreation and Wellness Center aims to bring the outdoors in, meet a variety of needs within a single building, and work towards Melbourne’s goal of making their neighborhoods more sustainable, more productive, and more livable.
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MAKING EXERCISE ACCESSIBLE + ENJOYABLE FOR MELBOURNE’S RESIDENTS Australia is facing a health and obesity crisis like never before: 34% of male residents and 14% of female residents are overweight. People are working more, connecting with others via social media, sitting for long hours in their car or at their desks, and eating more fast foods. These unhealthy behaviors are resulting in physical and mental health impacts with rising rates of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. With the odds not in their favor more than ever before, it’s important to find ways to make exercise accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Features like this rock wall, cycling and yoga studios within the building, and a pool and community gym aim to do just that, bringing healthy habits to Melbourne and its residents.
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ROCK CLIMBING WALL
COMMUNITY GYM
COMMUNITY COURTYARD
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FINISHES Drawing inspiration from the coastline, comprised of textural rock formations, sandy beaches, and bright blue waters, the palette incorporates colors from Australia’s coastal landscapes. Shades of blue, grey, and tan, combined with subtle hints of orange and pink give the space a natural, light, airy feel. The space incorporates light wood accents and materials and emphasizes the abundance of natural light to evoke the same calmness and connection to nature present in a coastal setting. All of the selected finishes are considered “sustainable,” thanks to their material content, low presence volatile organic compounds (VOCs), method of sourcing, manufacturing practices, and recyclability, and are intended to be durable in commercial uses.
COLOR SCHEME
FURNITURE Throughout the space, furniture pieces were selected for their form and functionality. With an abundance of lounge seating, the furniture selections evoke both the contrasting curvilinear nature of coastal formations with their rigid textural properties. The furniture reflects this relationship and uses light woods and a coastal palette to further incorporate the concept.
HERMAN MILLER MAGIS AIR CHAIR
HIGHTOWER ARLO LOWBACK SOFA
HERMAN MILLER CROSSHATCH LOUNGE CHAIR
BERNHARDT CHLOE GUEST CHAIR
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CREATING AN ARCHITECTURALLY-ENRICHING EXPERIENCE Experimenting with different volumes, mass, and void (inspired by the resulting formations created through the interaction of water and rock) within the atrium space, mezzanine levels, and primary fitness and recreation spaces not only aids in keeping the space architecturally interesting, but allows for different moments of prospect, refuge, overlook, and passage throughout the space. Here, you can see how some of these different volumes interact with one another and provide different experiences for the user.
GOALS + OBJECTIVES
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GOAL Design with sustainability in mind.
OBJECTIVE s + IMPLEMENTATION Use materials that meet Green Star and Living Building Challenge standards. Utilize low-flow plumbing fixtures, LED lighting, and solar shading system to reduce energy consumption. Use solar shades throughout to reduce solar heat gain and glare within the space.
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GOAL Emphasize health and sustainability with lighting throughout the design.
OBJECTIVE s + IMPLEMENTATION Integrate lighting that responds to circadian rhythms and utilize automatic light switches and fixtures, where possible, to conserve energy. Optimize the use of natural light in the space by placing community spaces along the perimeter of the building in well-lit zones.
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GOAL Incorporate the latest technology that will enhance productivity and health in the building.
OBJECTIVE s + IMPLEMENTATION Design with the latest technological advances in air filtration, recycling practices and graywater harvesting systems, and the latest technology in exercise equipment for the fitness center. Use a digital format to display the community events throughout the space.
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GOAL Apply evidence-based research to the design of the main community spaces.
OBJECTIVE s + IMPLEMENTATION Integrate technology where possible. Create flexible community spaces that are accessible, intriguing, and can accommodate various activities.
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GOAL Incorporate Australian culture and architectural style into the design.
OBJECTIVE s + IMPLEMENTATION The space will function as a place for the community and will tie in local flavors of Melbourne in the design through color choices and design features. Include a gallery space that showcases Melbourne’s rich arts culture.
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GOAL Develop a brand that reflects the vibrancy of Melbourne and incorporate it throughout the design.
OBJECTIVE s + IMPLEMENTATION Create strong visuals through branding and wayfinding techniques to better connect the community. Design with the community in mind and create spaces that not only bring people together, but also create a seamless transition between the interior and exterior, through features like community gardens, patio spaces, and playing fields.
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