Weller Architects

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Alamo Community as viewed upon approach from Highway 169. The facility is situated in a highly visible location at the forefront of the community as an expression of civic identity. The facility serves as a new ‘center’ and symbol for the community; an expression and constant reminder of health and wellness.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The building as viewed from the main road serving the community. In its capacity to help define the community ‘center’, its initial impression encapsulates the values of the community at large.

Alamo Community Wellness Center Main Pedestrian Walk

A creative expression of parking, parking circulation and pedestrian circulation patterns leading to and from the entry points in radiating patterns engage the visitor upon approach. A highly visible main pedestrian walk serves to join the terraced site and parking, providing a processional axis excentuating ‘entry’.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The main entry faces east, the direction associated with a new beginning. Articulated, prominent and easily recognizable by day, it is transformed at night through the use of translucent panels emmanating the captured light.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The north facade of the building expresses a sense of motion through the use of interplaying forms and volumes, further intensified through the play of everchanging light and shadow upon the bright galvalume surfaces.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The daycare and playground area provide large windows extending to the ground and a joyful interplay of volumes. The large clerestory facing north allows ambient light.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Large clerestory windows facing north allow ambient light to illuminate interior spaces while providing privacy to self-conscious visitors within the aerobics and weight rooms.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Curvalinear forms along the west facade, expressive of motion, form the exterior walls of the stage for the multi-purpose room and rock climbing gym.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Serving as a secondary point of entry, a curvalinear site cast concrete ramp and stair compliment the curvalinear building form and serve as a focal point for a highly visible corner of the building from within the community.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Articulation and detailing of simple materials were primary to create a facility that was both economical and durable. The corrugated galvalume panels, commonplace in rural communities, naturally conforms to the radial substrates and provides a bright contrast to the masonry that blends with the environment.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Challenges with difficult topography were viewed as opportunities for creative solutions, engaging visitors upon approach, arrival and procession.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The differences in elevation were capitalized upon to create visual interest, encouraging visitors to become active and engaged in exploration and celebration upon arrival.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The dynamic curvalinear forms create excitement and sense of motion. Interior spaces such as the interior rock climbing gym within the southernmost building volume remain very functional and pragmatic given the natural amorphic nature of the climbing wall surface.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The strong formal qualities of the building mirror the efficient and functional programatic requirements of the design.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The architectural forms of the building have a timeless quality; achieved through the choice of strong, permanent materials such as poured-in-place concrete and integral color masonry block. A sense of balance without employing symmetry creates a sense of movement and encourages visitors to approach the facility.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The gymansium is designed to function as a multi-purpose gathering space for not only sports related programs but also as a gathering space for community events including banquets, presentations and plays.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Materials utilized within the gymnasium, such as exposed integral colored masonry, contrasting with a lighter colored rubber sports floor surface were selected for their durability and cost effective qualities. The reduction in the amount of maintenance required and longevity were especially important when recurring funding for upkeep is virtually non-existent.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

Traditional ceilings were eliminated in the majority of the facility to reduce cost and provide visible access and routing of building support systems. Decorative acoustical clouds suspend from above to provide a sense of closure and scale to the space while absorbing the majority of the noise.

Alamo Community Wellness Center

The various functional spaces within the facility are connected by the main gallery. The gallery not only serves as a connection between functional spaces, but a place of connection, allowing the sharing of ideas and the building of excitement between individuals participating in numerous differing programs.