The Pickleweed Park Community Center provides the only public recreation and green space in San Rafael’s diverse and densely populated Canal District. The original community center, built in the 1980s, could no longer adequately meet the needs of the area’s growing population. However, a feasibility study revealed that the original building could be renewed and integrated into a new community center.
With strong public participation, the building program was developed to include meeting and activity rooms, a teen center, a large multipurpose room, a computer lab, a gymnasium, arts-and-crafts space, a community police office and a library. In the process, the size of the original building doubled.
A highly transparent lobby draws visitors in and leads to a patio, playfields and bayside hills to the north. The library has its own public entrance, enabling it to operate on a separate schedule of hours. Interior materials and finishes were selected for durability and ease of maintenance, and many feature recycled content. Energy-conservation strategies include sunshades on south-facing windows and photosensitive interior light controls.
The architecture of the center boasts structural steel, metal and plaster siding, with stained concrete flooring. The renovation modified the roofline of the original building, creating a seamless integration between old and new in both form and massing.
Barefoot Bay
