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Boys and Girls Club of America
This project began as a design-build renovation to a dilapidated and wholly inadequate facility. Through the course of the early design stages, it was a struggle to stretch the Club’s limited finances to be able to adequately protect the health and safety of the kids. By showing them the ability to raise considerable capital for a new and distinctive facility, they will now get a new Clubhouse with 3 times the program area, on a donated site. The design process utilized a series of work sessions with the Boys and Girls Club Board, youth representatives from the Club, and the Alameda School District. Located on the grounds of Woodstock Elementary School, and adjacent to a public playground and ball fields, the facility provides additional program space to the school and offices for various non-profit community recreational, educational and social programs.
The full-sized gymnasium features natural ventilation – air conditioning is omitted, thereby saving the facility from the most inefficient use of energy. An orchard of deciduous trees will screen the south elevation from the summer sun and errant homerun balls. Natural light is generously brought in to all areas to reduce the demand for artificial illumination. The project is designed in accordance with LDA’s guiding principle of creating sustainable and environmentally responsive designs – both as a means to reduce resource demands, and as an example to the youth that it serves. The western building element houses the educational and office functions of the Club and Community Center. Punctuated by a variety of openings throughout, spaces have a range of light, views and access to the outdoor play areas. Features include a dance studio & martial arts dojo, performance stage and an informal gathering space. Enrichment opportunities include the Learning Center, the Technology Center, an arts and crafts room, a music studio with practice rooms, and a digital audio/visual center. A Teen Room faces the adjacent ball field to provide light and a view – and through its transparency, invites outsiders to watch or join in the experience. With this robust facility, the Boys and Girls Club is able to extend its opportunities by offering its facilities to the Alameda Unified School District and the local community of all ages. Construction Progress Photos
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“LDA Architects provided us with a youth development center that is both practical and attractive. We find the building very utilitarian but have received nothing but rave comments on its design and appearance. During the process, the LDA team was responsive and helpful, coaching us through design decisions to arrive at the best possible outcome in our attempts to balance desire and budget. We are novices in the building process and needed an architectural firm that could interpret our needs into a significant facility and they did just that.” -George Phillips, Executive Director
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