The architect was selected to design a new indoor recreational facility for Carleton College, an independent and highly selective liberal-arts college. The main objectives of the new building were to support recreational activities and to provide a space for social events.
After studying the layout of the campus, the designers decided to build the new recreational COST PER SQ FT$120.95
FEATURED IN2001 Architectural Portfolio
on the edge of campus, near the outdoor playing fields and arboretum. This meant that the facility would have to be built into a hillside and thus, scale and setting were crucial. There are no square corners but plenty of curved shapes, including a serpentine wall bordering the arboretum and the path leading to the playing fields. The angled walls give a false sense of perspective, while the horizontal banding breaks up the vertical scale.
The two-story facade faces campus while the one-story facade faces the playing fields. This allows students to circulate through the building and transverse the hill and get to the playing fields.