North Facade
SITE CONTEXT VIEW FROM THE NORTH. SET WITHIN THE STAMFORD CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE DISCOVERY CENTER WILL PROVIDE A DYNAMIC SPACE FOR THE PARK’S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND WILL SERVE DAILY OPERATIONS AT THE PARK, IN PARTICULAR SUPPORT FOR THE ADJACENT SKATING RINK
THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN MILL RIVER PARK, ALONG A WALKWAY THAT CONNECTS THE HISTORIC COLUMBUS PARK WITH A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WATER FEATURE. RATHER THAN BEING A BUILDING WITHIN A PARK, THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED TO BE AN EXTENSION OF THE LANDSCAPE - FORMING A HILL BENEATH WHICH THE PROGRAM IS PLACED. THIS TOPOGRAPHICAL ARTIFICE SUPPORTS THE OBJECTIVES OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF THE RIPPOWAM WATERSHED, REHABILITATION OF THE RIVER BASIN AND REGROWTH OF NATIVE FLORA.
THE PROGRAM MASSING IS ARRANGED IN PARALLEL BANDS: 1. CLASSROOM, EVENT SPACE 2. EXHIBIT SPACE 3. CAFE, SKATE RENTAL, WASHROOMS 4. ADMIN OFFICES, STORAGE 5. FOUNTAIN, ICE SKATING
LOWERING ONE OF THE HILLS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PATRONS TO EXPERIENCE THE PARK FROM AN UNCONVENTIONAL VANTAGE POINT. ALLOWING VISITORS TO CLIMB ONTO THE “ROOF” THE BUILDING BECOMES A FUNCTIONAL EXTENSION OF THE LANDSCAPE
RAISING AN ADJACENT HILL ALLOWS DEEP PENETRATION OF DAYLIGHT INTO THE CAFE AND EXHIBIT AREAS, TWO PROGRAM AREAS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO THE EXTERIOR.
THE PLANIMETRIC SHIFT OF THE HILLS NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHTS THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENTS AS SEEN FROM THE EXTERIOR BUT ALSO CREATES TWO MAIN ENTRY POINTS FOR THE BUILDING. THE EAST ENTRANCE, BENEATH THE WALKABLE HILL, RESPONDS TO THE MORE FORMAL APPROACH FROM THE DOWNTOWN WHILE THE SECOND ONE FRONTS THE CAFE COURTYARD AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL
IN THE WINTER, WHEN THE FOUNTAIN IS CONVERTED TO A SKATING RINK, THE WHITTINGHAM DISCOVERY CENTER WILL OFFER VISITORS A FLEXIBLE AND UNUSUAL DESTINATION. WHETHER COMING IN TO RENT SKATES, TO VIEW AN EXHIBIT, TO ACCESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ... OR TO JUST MEET UP WITH FRIENDS FOR A SLIDE RIDE AND CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO MAINTAIN A VIBRANT DESTINATION AND ATTRACTION YEAR ROUND.
1. BACK OF HOUSE 2. EXHIBIT HALL 3. HILL ACCESS 4. CAFE SEATING 5. WATER DETENTION 6. INFORMATION DESK 7. VIEWING BLEACHERS 8. INTENSIVE GREEN ROOF SYSTEM 9. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES 10. CLASSROOM AND EVENT SPACE 11. CAFE AND SKATE RENTAL COUNTER 12. EXISTING FEATURE FOUNTAIN / ICE SKATING RINK
Approach from Mill River
South Facade
One of the roof forms allows for sledding
One of the roof forms allows for sledding
Winter view from existing ice rink shows sledding rooftop "hill" and bleacher seating
Wittingham Discovery Center
Mill River Park | Stamford, CT
CLIENT: Mill River Park Collaborative
PROGRAM: Integrated Visitor and Learning Center; part of a larger rehabilitation of public parkland and new urban greenway
SIZE/SITE: 11,040 sf
DESIGN: 2017 second place
AWARD: Award of Excellence in “Unbuilt Category”, AIA Connecticut 2019 Design Awards
SCOPE, OBJECTIVES
As part of an effort to reclaim and rehabilitate 28-acres of blighted parkland in the heart of downtown Stamford, the Mill River Park Collaborative (MRPC) issued an RFP for a new facility that would function as an interactive learning and development center for educational programs in the park. The MRPC indicated the project’s form must be such that it can be considered a work of art. In addition to creating a place of enduring appeal that engages and holds the eye of the observer, the building would include facilities to interactive exhibits, functional classrooms/labs, support areas for an adjacent ice skating rink, carry out café, office and support spaces for employees.
PREMISE, DESIGN RESPONSE
Designed to function as both an integral part of the landscape and a dynamic object within an urban space, the Discovery Center will contribute to the ecological diversity and restoration of an important public resource. Exterior: intensive green roof with 18” medium depth; roof fascia: iridescent champagne-grey metal panels; glazing: curtain wall; bleachers: FSC certified exterior grade wood. Interior: insulated and polished slab on grade; ceilings: glue-laminated wood beams, exposed composite slab on deck; MEP systems: exposed. Sustainability: optimized building orientation; south facing glass externally shaded by photo-voltaic brise soleil; intensive green roof; storm water retention; reduction of urban heat island effect; water detention for grey-water reuse.
PROJECT TEAM
Design Team: Lorenzo Mattii, AIA (while Design Director at JCJ Architecture), Mesut Sallah
Structural Engineer: Gilsanz Murray Steficek
Site/Civil Engineer: Langan Engineers
Landscape Architecture: EKLA Studio
Acoustics: Shen Milson and Wilke
MEP, FP, IT, AV: Kohler Ronan
Sustainability: Atelier Ten
SITE CONTEXT VIEW FROM THE NORTH. SET WITHIN THE STAMFORD CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, THE DISCOVERY CENTER WILL PROVIDE A DYNAMIC SPACE FOR THE PARK’S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND WILL SERVE DAILY OPERATIONS AT THE PARK, IN PARTICULAR SUPPORT FOR THE ADJACENT SKATING RINK
THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN MILL RIVER PARK, ALONG A WALKWAY THAT CONNECTS THE HISTORIC COLUMBUS PARK WITH A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WATER FEATURE. RATHER THAN BEING A BUILDING WITHIN A PARK, THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED TO BE AN EXTENSION OF THE LANDSCAPE - FORMING A HILL BENEATH WHICH THE PROGRAM IS PLACED. THIS TOPOGRAPHICAL ARTIFICE SUPPORTS THE OBJECTIVES OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION OF THE RIPPOWAM WATERSHED, REHABILITATION OF THE RIVER BASIN AND REGROWTH OF NATIVE FLORA.
THE PROGRAM MASSING IS ARRANGED IN PARALLEL BANDS: 1. CLASSROOM, EVENT SPACE 2. EXHIBIT SPACE 3. CAFE, SKATE RENTAL, WASHROOMS 4. ADMIN OFFICES, STORAGE 5. FOUNTAIN, ICE SKATING
LOWERING ONE OF THE HILLS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PATRONS TO EXPERIENCE THE PARK FROM AN UNCONVENTIONAL VANTAGE POINT. ALLOWING VISITORS TO CLIMB ONTO THE “ROOF” THE BUILDING BECOMES A FUNCTIONAL EXTENSION OF THE LANDSCAPE
RAISING AN ADJACENT HILL ALLOWS DEEP PENETRATION OF DAYLIGHT INTO THE CAFE AND EXHIBIT AREAS, TWO PROGRAM AREAS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO THE EXTERIOR.
THE PLANIMETRIC SHIFT OF THE HILLS NOT ONLY HIGHLIGHTS THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENTS AS SEEN FROM THE EXTERIOR BUT ALSO CREATES TWO MAIN ENTRY POINTS FOR THE BUILDING. THE EAST ENTRANCE, BENEATH THE WALKABLE HILL, RESPONDS TO THE MORE FORMAL APPROACH FROM THE DOWNTOWN WHILE THE SECOND ONE FRONTS THE CAFE COURTYARD AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL
IN THE WINTER, WHEN THE FOUNTAIN IS CONVERTED TO A SKATING RINK, THE WHITTINGHAM DISCOVERY CENTER WILL OFFER VISITORS A FLEXIBLE AND UNUSUAL DESTINATION. WHETHER COMING IN TO RENT SKATES, TO VIEW AN EXHIBIT, TO ACCESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ... OR TO JUST MEET UP WITH FRIENDS FOR A SLIDE RIDE AND CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO MAINTAIN A VIBRANT DESTINATION AND ATTRACTION YEAR ROUND.
1. BACK OF HOUSE 2. EXHIBIT HALL 3. HILL ACCESS 4. CAFE SEATING 5. WATER DETENTION 6. INFORMATION DESK 7. VIEWING BLEACHERS 8. INTENSIVE GREEN ROOF SYSTEM 9. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES 10. CLASSROOM AND EVENT SPACE 11. CAFE AND SKATE RENTAL COUNTER 12. EXISTING FEATURE FOUNTAIN / ICE SKATING RINK