The project's response to this design problem is to articulate the existing softball diamond that currently exists on the site by tipping the out-field up to create a south-facing dugout and athletic promenade. The form is derived directly from the existing use of the site and reinforces the park's primary use as an athletic destination, reimagining the playing field as an architecture and landscape that functions environmentally but also generates a new programme for the park by providing an event and outdoor performance space. The architectural response to the needs of the site generates new programme potential. The field, once crisp manicured sod is returned to the native Northern Alberta landscape as the sloped earth is planted with native prairie grasses, juxtaposing it with the athletic fields that surround it. The outfield, raised off the ground by 3 meters becomes a fully accessible vantage point providing spectators with a view of the entire park while, when facing the opposite direction, the sloped surface becomes an outdoor seating area focused on a performance space at its foot.
The changing rooms, washrooms, office and multi-purpose spaces are tucked under the raised outfield with a transparent south facing facade. Insulated by the earth with a green roof over-top of the building and the sloping field to the north, the building integrates an archetypal sustainable response to a cold climate with the architectural expression to reinvigorate the landscape, limit energy consumption, and appropriately use materials. The roof overhangs the facade and two layers of perforated metal mesh form a transparent skin, extending above the overhang to create the guard for spectators above. Protecting the facade from overheating in the summer, the screen defines the promenade, becoming the dynamic backdrop to the field and the subject of public art. The proposal suggests a cut-out pattern of a stop-motion baseball pitch, however the final product will be a collaboration between the architect and artist; in essence the facade becomes the canvas for public art. Lit at night, the facade is animated 24 hours a day, changing its character as the day progresses. The proposal prioritizes passive design techniques, sustainably sourced materials, and sustainable landscape principles to not only enrich the architecture of the pavilion, but tread lightly on the Earth.
(From competitor's text)
10 scanned / 4 viewable
- Presentation Panel
- Perspective
- Perspective
- Axonometric Drawing
