Van Buskirk Community Center
Stockton, California

Sited in and serving the needs a lower-income neighborhood, Stockton’s 18,000 square-foot Van Buskirk Community Center provides a focal point for community interaction and unity.

Using program inputs gathered during neighborhood meetings, LDA Partners developed plans to completely renovate the original 1960s structure and to incorporate a new addition.

One of the primary goals of the renovation was to add space for a new gymnasium and fitness rooms. To achieve the long spans required for the gym while maintaining cost efficiencies in both materials and construction, LDA Partners specified a pre-engineered steel structure for the addition.

To create visual interest to the space and to break down the mass of the large form, a combination of concrete masonry and metal siding was selected for the exterior palette. The tapered columns of the pre-engineered building were turned to the exterior, giving the building a “slanted” form and adding visual interest. A “flying wing” canopy creates a shaded area for a children’s amphitheater and identifies a secondary entrance. A smaller wing, also framed with a pre-engineered steel structure and clad with metal siding, was added to house restrooms, storage space and a weight room. Differing panel profiles and colors add visual interest and help define the masses of the building.

This project received an Award for Excellence in Design from the American Institute of Architects, Sierra Valley Chapter, and an Award of Excellence from the City of Stockton Planning Commission.