Rome Office designed a range of public structures as a part of the masterplan for Airline Highway Community Park, an ecologically-focused community park in East Baton Rouge Parish. Bracketed by two waterways, the park experiences flooding at regular intervals, and therefore requires structures that meet several programmatic requirements while remaining resilient and sustainable over time. These structures include: a bandshell, educational pavilions, a baseball complex, and a boathouse/nature center.

The boathouse and nature center houses two programs under one roof, which gradually morphs from a high-peaked gable over the nature center to a flattened pergola over the boat launch. Enclosed, conditioned program is placed away from the water and above the FEMA base-flood elevation, while open storage for canoes and kayaks is positioned perpendicularly to the bayou. The boat launch incorporates a terraced concrete slab that allows for continued use as the water level changes, and a wrap-around metal-grating “porch” that connects visitors to the rest of the park directly to the water.

+/-