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Calvert Vaux Park Pavilion, a gateway to the park

1100 Architect

Sport&Leisure  /  Completed
1100 Architect

In 2007, as part of a PlaNYC initiative to create regional destination parks in all five boroughs, the comprehensive master plan design for Calvert Vaux Park was unveiled. Central to this plan was the construction of a Park Pavilion and Maintenance Facility to provide support services necessitated by large recreational facilities, the Parks district headquarters, and local park goers. The concept was developed based on the requirement that five distinct programs (athletic storage, public restroom, staff office, work area, and vehicle storage) be located within one site. The structure now serves as a gateway to the park, framing a visual connection to the landscape and encouraging pedestrian interaction.

The surrounding landscape design integrates the pavilion into the terrain of the larger park. A truss structure supports the growth of vines on the pavilion’s outer walls. This not only creates biophilic appeal, but doubles as a vandalism deterrent. The design team also gave several public presentations to identify goals, solicit community feedback, and to eventually put forth the design to the Community Board. The main concern was the potential disturbance of bird habitats which had become prevalent in the wild, unmanicured areas of the park. A bird friendly design strategy restricted use of glazing on the project to the interior of the breezeway, eliminating the possibility of birds flying inadvertently into glazed areas.

On track for LEED Silver Certification, the design includes measures for sustainability and energy efficiency. Strategically positioned skylights mitigate the need for artificial lighting. The building’s roof collects rainwater used to irrigate new plantings, including the vines that grow on its walls. New vegetation is native grown, reducing the need for excessive watering and mitigating the carbon impact on building. In 2015, the project received an Excellence in Design Award from the Public Design Commission of the City of New York.

Calvert Vaux Park Pavilion provides much-needed restroom facilities for public use, allowing park visitors to more conveniently spend time in the park. It also includes offices for employees of NYC Parks, locker rooms, a maintenance shop, and vehicle and equipment storage space needed to support and maintain the 72-acre public space. One of the design challenges was to build a single facility that worked both as a hospitable environment for park visitors, but also as a durable facility for the heavy use of park vehicles and maintenance equipment. To cohesively merge those two user groups and those two different uses, the design creates an innovative footprint that merges three connected wings. Facing the playing fields, the building provides amenities for public use. Facing the parking lot, the building opens up to allow access for NYC Parks maintenance vehicles. Connecting these two wings is a volume for NYC Parks employees. To make these different programmatic elements cohere as a single structure, all are set under a pitched roof, creating a recognizable silhouette from different vantage points. The building doubles as a gateway to the park, providing a sense of arrival. A breezeway that cuts through it connects the parking lot with the playing fields, so park visitors pass through the pavilion to access the fields. The design also allows for efficient security and supervision by creating unimpeded sightlines from the office and the restrooms to the sports fields.

In 2014, the NYC Parks Community Board praised the design concept for a new building at Calvert Vaux Park: “Personally, I was impressed with the look of the zig-zag construction, with its passageway separating the two sectors, and with space for overnight storage of needed equipment.” “In 2023, I was thrilled to see the design successfully come to completion. The building nicely integrates the landscape and environmental beauty of the park and enhances the park experience for the community."

Credits

 Brooklyn
 New York, USA
 NYC Parks
 NYC Parks Regional Headquarters Offices, Public Bathrooms, Athletic Storage, Vehicle Maintenance Garage
 05/2023
 186 m2
  7,870,000.00 $
 1100 Architect
 Juergen Riehm, Anca Vasiliu, Spencer Leaf, Harris Mazur, Zachary Goldstein
 Welkin Construction
 Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, Matrix New World Engineering, Silman Associates, Synergy, Vanderweil Engineers, William Vitacco and Associates, e4, inc
 Ty Cole

Curriculum

1100 Architect is a New York-based firm that has delivered award-winning projects for clients around the world. Founded in 1983 by David Piscuskas, FAIA, LEED AP, and Juergen Riehm, FAIA, BDA, the studio provides services in architecture, interior design, urban design, and master planning, along with consultation in environmental review, historic landmark assessment, and sustainability planning. The 70-person office, with a second studio in Frankfurt, Germany, works at all scales and across many markets, with a record of built work for educational institutions, local and federal governments, cultural organizations, commercial workplaces, and residential clients.

https://www.1100architect.com/


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