The works in the following pages are samples of larger explorations that can be viewed further in person.
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Year: Fall of 2022
Faculty: Margaret Fletcher
View looking into the aquatics center
The goal of this project was to design an aquatics center and dance studio that could bring new life to the community of Chattanooga. This would provide an informal social meeting ground, where people separated by social differences, can interact, and communicate face to face and develop a sense of shared interest and identity. The site of the Chattanooga Center for Aquatics and Dance is currently a large parking area on a sloped site that is bound by Lindsay Street, MLK Boulevard and Houston Street. Its sits adjacent from the Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Patten Square.
View looking into the dance studio
Many of the formal decisions for the Chattanooga Activity Center for Swim and Dance came from looking at nature that incorporates water and movement. The idea is to create an environment that gives the occupants a sense of adventure, discovery, well-being, and playfulness. These are the same feelings people have when surrounded by nature. This was done by using color as a physical form of expression through the circulation, defining the socially active spaces through multifaceted ceilings, and framing the performance spaces through illumination.
Entry floor plan
Second floor plan
Bottom floor plan
Addressing the separation between Lindsay Street, MLK Boulevard and Houston Street was a crucial part in increasing the activity of social engagement throughout the square. This was done by connecting the Bessie Smith Cultural Center Patten Square and Houston Street with a continuous path that can always be accessed by the public.
View looking into the café