Oakland Concourse
Arch 100a - Fall ‘19
The playful form of the community center activates the busy Oakland corner, encouraging walking, safe people watching, community bonding, and impromptu socialization.
Sitting near the border of Berkeley and Oakland, the community center stands as a welcoming icon to Oakland’s diverse community and vibrant Rockridge neighborhood. College Ave has a lively string of small businesses which creates a safe and walkable feel on the sidewalk, however, the intersection of College and Claremont is exposed, loud, unpleasant, and unsafe. The community center will replace a barren triangular lot at the busy intersection of College Ave, and Claremont Ave. The dynamic design activates the street corner, making it safe and enjoyable for residents to socialize, organize and learn together. The building creates three courts on the site with varying levels of privacy for socializing, studying, or people watching.
The building provides a playful framework for community engagement and action. On the ground floor a café, storefront, and community storage facility are easily accessible to the public, encouraging socialization and conversation. The second floor has administrative offices and a daycare for community residents. These programs are more removed from the bustling street below, while still maintaining contact with the general public. Quieter and less used program elements such as a library, community meeting room, and exhibition space are on the third and fourth floors.
