The Cloverdale Recreation Centre is the first public amenity building developed under the 2006 master plan for the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in Surrey, B.C. After an extensive community consultation process, the resulting design emphasizes interconnectivity of spaces and functional requirements for a range of users.
The program features a two-court gymnasium, a 10,000-square-foot fitness center, multipurpose rooms and spaces dedicated to seniors, youth programs and childcare. Spaces are arranged axially around a single corridor, which maximizes sightlines throughout the ground floor. The largest components (the gymnasiums and fitness center) are placed adjacent to the major road, while those requiring quieter and safer areas progressively pinwheel east and south, ending with a preschool and outside play area on the main floor and a senior center above.
The building showcases the use of wood, and is notable not only for its sustainable features (it served as a pilot project for the Green Globes design process), but also for how well it fits within existing surroundings. Exposed wood glulam beams and columns are prominent throughout the interior and exterior, creating a feeling of warmth and comfort. The building's roof undulates in a north-south direction using only a single structural shape that is rotated, mirrored and flipped. The curved roof shape creates a dynamic, sleek and contemporary visual presentation for the facility that reflects the activity, engagement and energy within.
The roof wall covering on the south side limits direct sun, while enabling early light to permeate. The wrapped roof skin also increases R-value, mitigating heat loss compared to glass.
Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre
