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Youth Wellness Campus

Bremerton, Washington, USA

The new Youth Wellness Center building takes the three primary aspects of the program: Health, Nutrition and Fitness, as the formal point of departure. The setting in Periwinkle Park allows for the potential of a fusing of landscape and architecture. Three branches of the building stretch out to engage the landscape.

On the nutrition wing, where there is a large “cooking theatre” kitchen, the branch tip ends in a greenhouse for growing vegetables and herbs which extends into the kitchen garden.

The Health wing, marking the main entrance, extends out over a recycled storm water reflecting pond to form the entry sequence.

The Fitness wing extends out toward the playing areas and includes a large covered porch for playing in rain.

The roof is planted in sedum with various shades of green, and has a large classroom which looks out onto solar collectors of the latest, most efficient quality.
The building is a slab on grade construction geothermally heated and cooled. The wood lattice screens over the glasswalls provide sunshade protection while functioning as planting trellis. There is a large wooden sundeck facing the park with protected glass openings below a gentle ramp from the roof garden to the kitchen garden.

The entire building is built to function as a community place with a sense of openness and invitation. Especially on a rainy November evening at 5 PM, the inviting glow of the activity inside can act as a community catalyst for access to health care, education, nutrition and fitness.

Client
City of Bremerton
Location
Bremerton, Washington, USA
Years
2009–2008
Size
11,600 sq ft
Status
On hold
architect
Steven Holl Architects
Steven Holl (design architect, principal)
Filipe Taboada (project architect)
Yun Shi, Arseni Timofejev (project team)
Rice Fergus Miller Architecture & Planning
Edward Lalonde

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