NEW SOMASS HALL Port Alberni, BC
Designed in a traditional form with one expansive gable roof, the New Somass Hall community centre strives to be as transparent as possible to take advantage of the solar orientation and natural setting. With strategically placed louvres and a large colonnade, the screen adds a rich textural layer to the otherwise simple building form and provides the proper sun control needed. This community centre houses several social and cultural programs, as well as provides much-needed office space. The main hall is surrounded by all the support spaces, including a large commercial kitchen at the rear. The facility, which is designed as a post-disaster building, is to be built to net-zero standards.