
DEXTER LAKE
BOATHOUSE
The Dexter Rowing Center strives to create a communal space to house several of the rowing teams that practice along the Dexter Reservoir Site in Eugene, Oregon. This Complex looks at different ways to enhance the team-driven atmosphere while also providing several key programmatic necessities for the rowers. The large boat storage and workout space help to bring the different groups together, and create a unified gathering area where the rowers can feel a sense of comradery. Their locker rooms, storage, and classrooms all branch out from these central spaces. The boathouse is also divided into public and private zones, allowing the rowers to have their dedicated space, while still blending with public spectators and guests. Thus the programmatic elements of this complex are split into two spaces. During Regattas, and events the public and the rowers can both have an enhanced experience of the race through the architecture, and still, feel connected to their specific communities. The split form also helps to create a passageway to the water so that recreational boats and trailers can still pass through to the docks.
Another driving force for this design was the vaulted roof structure that helps to enhance sunlight, direct view and create an interesting spatial experience. The roof form is meant to mimic the shape of an oar as it moves through the water, and the peaks are meant to mimic the mountain ranges that surround the site. This form makes the building feel as if it is being lifted from the ground and gliding through the water, similar to the movement and take-off of the rowing boats.
Another key part of this design was connecting to the site and making it feel integrated into the surrounding landscape. This was accomplished through architectural elements along with environmental elements. The building is interlocked by a series of bioswales that help to capture stormwater runoff from the concrete parking lot. This helps to deter it from running back into the lake and damaging the ecosystem. The roof form also helps to collect rainwater in order to use it for nonpotable functions within the building such as the toilets, and some are filtered to use for potable functions. The implementation of these elements helps to offset the impact of this architectural structure, while also making it more in tune with the environment.





