The Meadows Recreation Centre

Located in a large growth area in southeast Edmonton, the new The Meadows Recreation Centre and Meadows Library provides year-round recreational and cultural activities for the surrounding neighbourhoods. Focusing on the cohesion between interior and exterior programming, the installation relies on glazing and interaction to create welcoming and inviting spaces in all seasons.

The project's organizational theme is reminiscent of the federal land survey method in the way it weaves a wide range of recreational and cultural themes into a short point. Designed to be admired as a whole, the layout of the site's gathering areas, outdoor recreation spaces, parking areas, and walking paths places the building at the convergence of several access routes. The building features four distinctly shaped undulating roof slopes that create squares of open space.

These entry areas accommodate outdoor programming and cultural activities. Viewed from the side, the four ribbons of roof evoke a topographic relief with their overlapping ridges and valleys.
This frank nod to the monumental character of prairie spaces ties the building to its site and to traditional large-scale agrarian structures and enclosures. The building creates a collective identity that brings together diverse programs. The landscape and architecture work in concert with the site and surrounding streets to create microclimates that allow for year-round activity. The composition is dynamic, whether viewed from afar by a passerby in a car or by a pedestrian under the shelter of its expansive roof.

The design shapes the outdoor activity spaces to match those indoors. Two regulation-sized national league ice rinks; a fitness area and running track; a gymnasium; an aquatic center with a competition pool; therapeutic and leisure pools; a public library; two floors of multi-purpose community rooms; and several complementary spaces make up the indoor programming. Concurrently, the outdoor space consists of multi-purpose entry areas, a recreational ice ring, a reading courtyard, a graffiti park, an outdoor basketball court, and playgrounds. The glazing that separates the interior and exterior allows light and natural materials to create a warm and inviting atmosphere that provides a view of the neighborhood in the distance. The site and building components are coordinated to build on the synergy between the programming, creating connections that enhance healthy community interaction and recreation.

Wood is involved in the design for structural and finishing purposes. As a renewable material with low embodied energy, it supports the sustainability goals of the project. A variety of wood species are used for different functions, from Douglas fir for the glulam roof beams to maple slat walls. The use of wood allows the structure of the building to be highlighted for all to see, giving uniqueness to this highly versatile building. All the programs and activities are united under the same undulating and expressive roof. The warmth of the material and its rich colors and textures evoke a sense of welcome in visitors, encouraging people to return and making the center a place that contributes to the health of the city for years to come.