Foster City Teen Center

Location: Foster City, CA

We designed this Teen Center as a submission to an architectural competition issued by Foster City. The proposed design was intended to be inviting, flexible, and unimposing. The arrival point at the parking lot is defined by a trellis/canopy that announces the Teen Center. This element allows visual access to the recreational areas and provides a more friendly and welcoming first encounter. The building itself is set parallel to the edge of the lagoon to maximize views.

The courtyard is placed in-between the main building and the multi-use room to accommodate many different functions. The most important is that it allows the park to extend into the recreational area and continue through to the tennis courts. This courtyard is designed with folding doors to maximize its flexibility. It can be closed off from the rest of the park or the recreational areas for special events. The multi-use room and the kitchen area can open into this courtyard allowing for outdoor activities away from the noise of the skate park and basketball court. The building will also prevent the noise from the basketball court and the skate park from traveling out to the park and across the lagoon. The form of the building is derived from the existing Recreational Center’s unassuming low and horizontal lines.