Columbia’s new Parks and Recreation Administration Building clearly establishes a forward-looking
identity for the Department and successfully addresses the ever-growing need for community meeting
space that is welcoming and engaging. Nestled among mature trees on a bluff overlooking Earlewood
Park, the center is comprised of two pavilions -- one for the public & community, and the other for
administrators of the City Parks Department. A breezeway connects the two structures to create a small
campus of approximately 10,000 square feet. A public plaza serves both buildings and connects to
existing parking to the north, disc golf to the west, and the tennis courts to the south. Each building is
conceived as a simple, carefully detailed form. Together, the structures establish an iconic identity, yet
are restrained, reserved and deferential to the park landscape. A plinth veneered in stone establishes
the ground plane, with steel pipe columns and a glu-lam wood roof emerging out of this base. The walls
are constructed with an aluminum curtain wall, in-filled with glass, spandrel and stained wood. This
effectively creates a light, transparent façade that opens the buildings to the outside. The design also
features many sustainable principles, including the use of recycled materials, energy efficient
mechanical systems, generous daylighting, ample views, and minimal impact on the site.