Studio Gang completes Brooklyn recreation centre with welcoming presence
American architecture practice Studio Gang has completed the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Central Brooklyn, a rippled brick building that contains a fitness centre and public programming for the surrounding neighbourhood.
Named after the first Black woman to be elected to the United States Congress, Shirley Chisholm, the project is part of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) system and is located in East Flatbush.
The three-storey building features a scalloped brick facade punctuated by slim, semi-circular and rectangular windows. It is entered via a public walkway that sits between the fitness centre and an adjacent school, as the building is tucked into a centre lot.
Its upper levels are clad in corrugated metal panels and just peak over the brick volume at the front.
According to Studio Gang, its swooping, dipped facade serves the building a two-fold purpose – it creates a "welcoming gesture", while ushering in natural light and views into the building's interior.
"Projecting into a new shaded plaza, the building's transparent main entrance – centrally located between the adjacent public school and the Center – establishes a signature welcoming gesture," said the studio.
"Large arched windows, set into the gently curving brick façade, reinforce the building's inviting presence and bring natural light and views deep inside".
Inside, the building contains a double-height gymnasium and pool on either side of the building. Smaller spaces for staff offices, locker rooms, dance studios, and strength and cardio rooms snake between the two large spaces, and also spread out in the upper levels.
Cutaways, viewing platforms, and interior windows provide lines of sight throughout the interior of the building.
The lobby contains a bright-orange grand staircase, while other interior elements include glued-laminated timber beams above the pool area, custom woodwork, and artwork by artist Vanessa German, including a series of busts.
The building is topped with a green roof, as well as an outdoor school yard and a small triangular terrace above its entrance.
It replaced a field that stood in the same footprint, while several outdoor basketball courts and a handball court were maintained for the project and now sit next to the building.
The team is aiming for LEED Gold certification for the project, with elements including a high-performance envelope, plantings for stormwater management and EV-charging integrated into the design.
According to NYC Parks, at 74,000 square feet (6,874 square metres), it is Brooklyn's largest recreation centre, as well as the "first ever" in Central Brooklyn. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the opening this week.
"Shirley Chisholm believed that politics should be accountable to everyday people," said Mamdani.
"In that spirit, this center will stand as a living tribute to her legacy – proving that when we invest in truly affordable, accessible public spaces, we can build a city that works for all of us."
Other recent public projects around New York City include a Dumbo library designed by WORKac and a rink and swimming pool in Central Park.
The photography is by Alexander Severin.
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