Community Rowing Boathouse by Anmahian Winton Architects

The facility is composed of two buildings that form a common public space between them that is both a gateway to the river and a staging terrace for the boats. The smaller of the buildings is a glass pavilion that houses the singles shells. Its transparency allows for a unique perspective on the boats during storage and can be viewed from the adjacent footpaths and roadway. The larger, main building holds 4-person and eight-person shells on the ground floor, and contains administration, coaching, and weight rooms on the second floor. The “core” of the building – stair, elevator, mechanical, boat repair, and locker rooms – is a sidecar building whose separation allows the boat storage and support space to be open and flexible.

The skin of the main building is composite panel of phenolic resin and wood veneer that is both extremely durable and natural. The panels operate as louvers, opening and closing to allowing the boat storage space to be ventilated as needed. The louver system is both pragmatic and poetic, lending great functionality to the interior space while also suggesting a building form that recalls traditional New England covered bridges and tobacco barns.

Designer: Anmahian Winton Architects, Location: Boston, Image Credits: © Jane Messinger, Mike Champion, Anmahian Winton, Information: Source