The Beckerman Athletic Center is a comprehensive facility that provides updated fitness and recreational spaces for the entire Hamden Hall Country Day School student population, 50 varsity and subvarsity athletic programs, families, alums, faculty and the community, and also serves as a critical social gathering place. By relocating the facility adjacent to the school's athletic complex and creating a design concept that included all of the program spaces within a one-story building, the architect was able to maximize the budget.
The spacious and airy lobby makes extensive use of birch wood paneling and offers interior glimpses into multiple program spaces, including the natatorium, aerobics room and gymnasium. Multiple windows offer views out to the athletic fields and beyond, while a circular skylight provides natural lighting. All of the facility's program spaces are easily accessible off the circular lobby, and a central "Main Street" corridor runs from the front of the facility to the rear. This design scheme helps control the traffic and circulation flow throughout the facility.
With the addition of the Beckerman Athletic Center to the Hamden Hall campus, school administrators have been able to bring together all of their varsity sports programs in one venue, including the swim team, which was previously using an off-site facility for its practices and meets. The school also can now offer supervised activities in the center during school breaks, as well as open the facility up to the local community for yoga, fitness and dance classes.
Grand Park Community Recreation Center
