Community Center at Baker Creek Preserve

In this project I investigated texture, depth, imperfection, and memory, stemming from observations of objects. I decided to go with Baker Creek Preserve for my site because of its existing program of mountain biking, which I believe creates an opportunity for creating a conversation between mountain biking and interactions with intervening programs. The site is located southeast of downtown Knoxville very close to several neighborhoods and a middle school. The more specific building location within the larger site was decided based primarily upon sun path diagrams and the existing occupancy of the adjacent trailhead, as placing the building in a place with maximum sunlight exposure leads to more opportunities to experiment with textures and it is adjacent to a spot already frequently used by the community. Something I noticed during my site investigation was that the site's maximum occupancy load relates very closely to the temperature outside throughout the year, so bringing up the lower occupancies in the colder months is something the project aims to help with. 

 

The interior is designed to be purposed in a few different ways, containing enough seating for concerts, tables and chairs for relaxing or taking a lunch break during a long day of riding, or even miscellaneous events that local people and businesses could reserve the space for. During weekdays while it's not being used for events, there is also a spot to refill water bottles as not having easy access to water was the occupants biggest factor in spending less time on the site. I’ve also added a pump/jump line off to the south side of the building with a viewing area that serves as another draw to the site, as the existing pump track and jump line are at the base of the hill nearer to the existing parking lot.