2011 Facility of Merit Winner: The Aquatic Centre at Hillcrest Park

Part of the legacy initiative of the 2010 Olympics, Vancouver, B.C.'s Aquatic Centre at Hillcrest Park is an addition to the Olympic curling venue, known as the Vancouver Olympic Centre. The first step in a conversion to a recreation complex that will also include a community center, public library, preschool and field house, the center won plaudits from AB's panel of architects for being, as one judge said, "complementary to the existing Olympic structure, while being strikingly beautiful on its own."

The utilization of wood as the main structural component of the center captured the attention of the judges, as did the use of color throughout. More than half of the wood used on the project, which anticipates LEED Gold certification, is Forest Stewardship Council-certified, and its use helped the designers succeed in connecting the natural interiors to the landscape and trees of the park beyond. Wood interior cladding, window casings and millwork also lend acoustic dampening and a warm aesthetic to the project.

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