MARVIN GAYE RECREATION CENTER 

Named for its neighborhood native son, the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center is the city’s first center with integrated natural ventilation. Fresh air and daylighting are just some of the biophilic design features that make this a LEED Gold facility and a resilient hub in Northeast Washington DC.

You feel it as soon as you enter the front door—this building breathes. When conditions are right, the building enters natural ventilation mode. The system is designed to take advantage of the mild temperatures during the fall and spring in Washington DC. Daylighting strategies define the architecture and create a vibrant interior environment.  They provide dynamic + diffused light, a visual connection to nature, and promote a connection with the cycle of the day + the changing of the seasons.

Works by local artists on glass are incorporated into the interior architecture in transparent layers of biomorphic forms. It’s all part of a built environment that contributes to the health and well-being of the community.

The building is designed to be resilient in the face of emergencies, withstanding stressors like floods and power outages. The center accommodates community gatherings and fitness + wellness programs that build resilience within communities—in service to the DC Department of Parks + Recreation mission to promote health, conservation, and universal access to parks. Marvin Gaye Recreation Center was selected as the first Resilience Hub case study in Washington DC by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network.

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