Parks and Recreation Administration Building

Columbia’s new Parks & 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.


City of Columbia

Columbia, SC

Completion Date
2011


Project Awards

2014 Honor Award
AIA South Carolina

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Abacus Planning Group Columbia Office