The Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush section is a testament to public architecture done right. Designed by Studio Gang, the facility features a natatorium with fish belly beams made of mass timber imported from Austria, evoking the expressive wood ceilings of Alvar Aalto. The building’s design is a nod to the postmodern monumentality of Louis Kahn, with arched clerestories that perambulate the brick exterior.
Sustainable Design and ArchitectureThe building boasts LEED Platinum v4 certification, achieved through the use of sustainable materials, natural light, and energy-efficient systems. The facade engineers at Thornton Tomasetti opted for brick-faced architectural precast panels, minimizing structural steel and reducing embodied carbon. The panels sit atop one another, and the load transfers directly to the foundation, creating a robust and durable structure.
“Recreational centers are a type of community center that is really central to the history of Studio Gang,” says Arthur Liu, Design Principal at Studio Gang. “Jeanne’s Chinese American Service League Kam L. Liu Building was an early project in Chicago whose community-minded spirit has been carried on with this recreational center here in Brooklyn.”
Key Features
The center features a sculptural stair, basketball court, fitness rooms, dance studio, and outdoor terrace. The building plan is simple, with two large boxes sandwiching a circulation and utilities corridor. Visitors enter the center from the pedestrian plaza, where they’re immediately greeted by the welcome desk. The desk serves as a vital point of orientation for the entire building, with administrative and mechanical rooms to the left, the swimming pool entry to the rear, and a sculptural stair and elevator bank to the right.
The center is washed in natural light, with high-performance glazing and clerestory windows that allow sunlight to pour in. The concrete walls and corrugated metal decking are painted with splashes of tangerine orange and powder blue, adding a pop of color to the space.
Community Impact
The Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center serves as a community hub, hosting P.S. 269 students and local residents. The facility includes artworks by vanessa german, part of the Percent for Arts program. german’s cumulative contribution, the East Flatbush People’s Museum of Love and Wonder, features 24 sculptural busts, including one of Chisholm herself, bedazzled with blue, gold, red, pink, and white gems.
Project Team
– Architect: Studio Gang
– Facade Engineers: Thornton Tomasetti
– Landscape Architect: Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architect
– Construction: Lendlease Construction and Consigli Construction
– Aquatic Architect: Wallover Architects
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