A 1970’s open-air shelter with enclosed additions, the Jeanne Bellamah Community Center is located in Jeanne Bellamah Park. The $1.4 million project sought to improve existing before and after school programs and attract use by adults for multi-generational programming through a contemporary addition containing new fitness, computer and game rooms. Large expanses of interior glazing separate these spaces from a circulation spine terminating in a vista of the park and bathed in daylight from a continuous skylight. The simple plan enhances staff operations through improved visibility for supervision and maximizes views to the park and the Sandias. The addition is clad in a large format tile, stucco and aluminum storefront. Oxidized metal panels have been applied to the primary façade of the existing building to contrast it with the palette of clean, light materials in the addition. The design transforms a drab, unattractive building into a cohesive, functional and elegant structure set against the park.
The building received a design award from the American Institute of Architects.