This 22,000 square foot recreation and community center for the East Hampton Youth Alliance serves as a central gathering place for recreational and cultural activities and as an indoor pool facility for much-needed swim instruction for youths of this community surrounded by water.
Davis Brody Bond, LLP
This 22,000 square foot recreation and community center for the East Hampton Youth Alliance serves as a central gathering place for recreational and cultural activities and as an indoor pool facility for much-needed swim instruction for youths of this community surrounded by water.  Within the center, visitors will find a fitness area, multi-purpose room, cyber café, six-lane competition swimming pool and a toddler/therapy pool. A series of ramps and terraced landings in the main loft-like interior separate different program areas and create a dynamic environment where participants can view the center’s diverse activities. Skylights, which allow natural light to penetrate the entire space, follow the diagonal path of the primary ramp, accentuating the separation of the fitness area from the tech lounge.
The cedar clad design recalls traditional Long Island agricultural structures, particularly in its simple massing, open-loft interior, and matter-of-fact exposed wood-frame construction techniques. The Center’s primary volume is structured by large-scale, balloon-framed bearing walls composed of 3 x 10 Douglas Fir studs set two feet on center. Natural wood finishes are also used on screen walls, railings and ceilings further giving the interior texture and a warm, natural quality. Low maintenance, durable materials such as ceramic tile and ground-face concrete block enclose the pool and locker areas. The Rec Center is an active and dynamic space which serves its purpose as a clubhouse for youths and a well- populated resource for the entire community.