How the Southern Area Aquatics and Recreation Complex balances site, community, and performance
By Gavin Myers
When recreation facilities are built on former rural land, the site is often cleared and treated as a blank slate. At the Southern Area Aquatics and Recreation Complex (SAARC) in Brandywine, Md., the design team took a different approach: they began with what was already there.
A 175-year-old willow oak and the surrounding grove became the organizing elements for the project. Instead of placing the building among the trees, the team placed it on the edge of the wooded area and located parking along the open roadside. These simple yet thoughtful decisions limited clearing and grading and allowed the landscape to remain part of the visitor experience.
The result is not only a recreation center that brings together aquatics, fitness, and community space for a wide range of users, but a place where the landscape remains present in daily use. Transparency, circulation, and views keep the forest visible, reminding visitors that the building belongs to its setting rather than replacing it. Inside the building, that connection to nature continues through elements such as tree-inspired, steel columns and glazing that is placed to frame views of nature and the surrounding woods.
As Yvonne T. Johnson, former architectural supervisor for Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, says of the finished project, “The building is welcoming, rain or shine, so true to its concept, and well-built.” That sense of welcome goes beyond the visual, showing up in how the building works for the community day to day.