DESIGN AWARDS 2000: Fleming Community Center

Baltimore County, Maryland Cho Benn Holback + Associates "The relationship of the parts to the whole in the massing is reflected in the disposition of the elements in the plan. The scale has been skillfully articulated to redefine the architectural elements and alleviate the ‘big box’ issue. The use of simple materials and construction techniques to meet a limited budget is skillful. Architectural detail has been discretely used in places of important hierarchy, and left simple where necessary." The Fleming Community Center, located on a 12-acre park peninsula, is a much-needed center for a low- income residential community of single family and rental apartments. Commissioned as the first mixed use community center of its type in Baltimore County, the project serves as a model incorporating a Senior Center, Young Adult Recreation Programs, and Head Start. The 18,000 sq ft building, constructed of concrete masonry units, stucco, and steel, distinguishes itself from the surrounding neighborhood brick buildings. The client requested low-cost materials in a rectangular form to address costs and security concerns. The elevation facing the neighborhood is treated as a separation of rectangular planes to provide clear entry and selective views into the neighborhood. The procession to the building begins with a garden of grasses, which enhances the linear entry paths and complements the natural waterside landscape beyond. A main entry path leads up to a terrace where a steel and corrugated entry canopy projects between building planes. The layout of the program elements is arranged to capitalize on the park setting while taking into consideration the client's security concerns. The core public spaces act as a filter in that they contain specific program pieces for each group, but serve all users as paths through the buildings to activities outside. The Senior Center and Recreation Program each have double-height Lobby spaces that forward users to specific agency activities. Clerestory windows provide ample day lighting into the interior spaces and eliminate the need for numerous ground-level windows. The ground-level windows that are used are selectively located to provide views through the building and set up program locations for the different user groups. The gym is situated in the rear of the building in close proximity to the existing basketball courts and other sports fields. This location not only allows for inside/outside play, but also enables the remainder of the building to act as a transition between the gym and the smaller scale of the neighboring houses.

Project Fleming Community Center Baltimore County, MD Architectural Firm Cho Benn Holback + Associates 200 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 576-0440 Engineering Consultants Structural Mincin Patel Milano Mechanical / Electrical Sidhu Associates Civil Daft McCune & Walker, Inc. 200 E. Pennsylvania Ave. Towson, MD 21204 Landscape Cho Benn Holback + Associates Cost $2,092,000

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