The Rio Vista Recreation Center represents a compact and efficient layout that accomplishes three primary design goals: To provide more than 50,000 square feet of recreation and community space on a relatively small site, of which nearly 50 percent fronts an existing lake; to optimize interior sightlines as a means of reducing staffing; and to minimize dedicated circulation.
A large, curving reception desk welcomes visitors to the lobby, which stretches through the building and extends across the lake on a bridge, allowing for additional external programming space. Internal transparency optimizes surveillance while also “retailing” the variety of exciting programs offered throughout the facility. Minimal applied finishes, including ground concrete and perforated aluminum, create a durable, comfortable and elegant interior. Integral colored masonry, sandstone and glass are used internally and externally. A high level of aesthetic integrity and cost control was realized through the use of a variety of structural components that also serve as the final finish surfaces.
The building’s exterior architecture is derived from the existing context of the park’s ancillary buildings, as well as the theme of river eddies inspired by the park’s adjacency to a regional river. This captivating center is sited daringly close to the park’s lake and embraces its surroundings with a shape evocative of its environment.
