A Lifetime of Community Support

In collaboration with the Fairfax County client team, we identified four guiding principles to usher in the new era of this important community destination:

1. Build communities of opportunities by placing emphasis on flexible incubator spaces that encourage people to gather and collaborate.

2. Create career pathways through partnership with private, public, and non-profit firms to offer career counseling and training.

3. Connect different generations with vibrant intergenerational contact zones where different generations can come together in a number of ways and for a variety of reasons.

4. Better integrate residents into the economy by enhancing their lives and skill-sets.

Prior to undertaking the building design, a programming and planning phase sought to explore how space can best promote these principles. With the principle of creating pathways toward a lifetime of learning and support, the building itself also needed a high degree of pathway clarity. So, due to the complexity of programming, careful attention was given to the design of the Center’s navigation and movement between spaces.

There are three large anchor programs – the theater, the library, and the gym – that define the overall organization of the Center. The smaller spaces were first organized around these three anchors and then adjusted based on their acoustic and lighting needs. Based on this strategic orientation, we designed a truly multi-functional building operation that can deliver concurrent functions at multiple times of day and be navigated with clarity and ease.