Clayton Community Centre

The Clayton Community Centre combines three aspects of community services in Surrey, B.C. — recreation, library and arts — in a seamlessly integrated facility. Shaped by extensive community engagement, the facility is a catalyst for active living, creativity and learning. The building is designed to be inclusive and high-performance, with the ability to respond to future climate conditions.

The facility is sited between two closely spaced secondary schools. The social fabric of the surrounding context led to a design that focuses on meeting the needs of youths, while offering gathering spaces that connect all generations.

The facility is further situated as an extension of the onsite forest. The roof and building envelope mimic the tree canopy to unify the three civic services underneath, with a leaf-like heavy timber structure that spans across the interior. The interlocking members of its pinwheel components metaphorically and structurally gain strength by all components being interconnected. The wood structure is emphasized through a series of triangular openings in the roof, with clerestory windows that create dappled light, provide natural ventilation and mimic the shadows of a forest. Beneath the canopy is a space that can physically respond and evolve with changing activities. It is a space for unexpected discovery and learning at the forefront of social inclusivity, offering fully universal washrooms and change rooms for Surrey’s diverse and rapidly changing demographic. 

The Clayton Community Centre is the first facility of its kind to achieve Passive House certification in North America, and is Canada’s largest Passive House facility to date.

ARCHITECT OF RECORD

hcma architecture + design 

Vancouver, B.C. 

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