Set against a magnificent Rocky Mountain backdrop, the Estes Valley Community Center represents a project 60 years in the making. After decades of failed votes, the time for a new community center was right and Estes Park, Colo., was able to move forward.
With attachment to an existing aquatic center, a severe slope and a highly sensitive school property to the east, the site presented a challenge. Two entries with segregated parking for distinctly different user populations help enhance traffic flow. On the lower level, seniors and multipurpose public users have direct access to their amenities, while the upper-level entry serves the balance of the recreational users. The upper parking field is placed between the facility and the school to provide separation and convenient access.
Feature areas include extensive multipurpose rooms with a commercial kitchen, an arts studio, group exercise rooms, a gymnasium, a computer/resource area, fitness spaces and locker rooms. A sunlit upper-level lobby reaches deeply into the space providing visibility to the many amenities, as well as overviews of the action below. Upon entry, the administration offices have both their own mountain views and the ability to monitor activities from above. All the high-country references of mountain modern architecture and interior theming come together to create a unique regional experience.
Wake Forest Wellbeing Center
