2016
TYPE: CHARETTE COMPETITION
LOCATION: MARINA DEL REY ,CA
STATUS:CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
UCLA Marina Aquatic Center and UCLA Rowing Boathouse
CAVIN FELLOWSHIP
This proposal for the UCLA Rowing team Boathouse and Marina Aquatic Center is guided by the natural surrounds as much as creating public spaces for different user groups, as well as addressing the programmatic and social requirements for UCLA’s rowing team and Aquatic center. The unique site conditions give the opportunity to conceive a project that could produce a space of interaction between UCLA’s athletes, the wildlife living in the area and the public.
The program called for an expansion of the built area by nearly doubling it. Since the early stages of design it was important have a large amount of green spaces on the site to allow for a continuity of habitats between the site and the neighboring area of Ballona Creek and ecological reserve. The site is intended to serve as an oasis for the animal life especially for the local and migrating birds. The green spaces also act as a series of public spaces weaved between the buildings. The landscape was pealed from the ground to form green roofs and pathways across the site. The main roof garden is located above the Boathouse and also serves a viewing deck which can be used during sport events, and would also be a great place to enjoy the views of the ocean, of the the Ballona Creek and of the Marina. The Marina Aquatic center does not have a roof garden, but its form was manipulated by a similar deformation of the ground . Its height, and form in both interior and exterior acts as a point of reference, giving a higher profile for the center. People are able to navigate the site at various points, through its pathways, through the building and on its roof. In addition to providing pathways for pedestrians, a smaller bicycle trail was designed to go along the site’s perimeter allowing cyclist to circumvent the rowers as they cross the main bicycle trail to reach the slipway. The new boat house storage was place as close as possible to the the slipway and several openings allow for the shells to be transported at the same time in different locations. The interior of the boathouse has a open plan which allows users and visitors to learn about the activities taking place at the center.
The project takes advantage of the climatic conditions of the site and the proximity to the sea by using a series of passive and active strategies illustrated on the boards to achieve a carbon neutral building.
