The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center

Phoenix, Ariz.
Construction Cost: $33 million
Area / Square Feet: 137,000
Occupancy Date: May 2012

The 137,000-square-foot Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in the Phoenix South Mountain area is one of the largest such facilities in the country. The project includes four major programmatic components: worship, community and education; family life and personal development; recreation; and aquatics. The center also includes such distinct components as a boxing center, a performing arts center and a library.

The Kroc Center’s entry atrium at the confluence of the building’s L-shaped footprint represents “a beacon of hope” and generates a wow factor — welcoming guests into a commanding double-height clerestory space with dynamic views into the pool and adjacent activity spaces.

The center’s exterior uses indigenous materials, while the interior design reflects both the natural and cultural environments, utilizing a color palette that reflects the neutral colors of the desert with bright accents found in desert flowers, plants and animals.

In each area of the building, color, materials and furniture were selected to emphasize warm and comfortable spaces that encourage patrons and visitors to stay awhile.