IJAMS NATURE CENTER
MEAD’S QUARRY CAFÉ & BOATHOUSE
Ijams nature center
MEAD’S QUARRY CAFÉ & BOATHOUSE
YEAR:
2023 - Ongoing
LOCATION:
Knoxville, TN
SIZE:
3,900 SF
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Nestled within the Ijams campus lies Mead’s Quarry, once a site for Tennessee marble extraction, now a highly trafficked, beloved swimming destination utilized by locals and visitors alike. With its growing popularity, the need for improvements to existing rental and concession operations has become evident, leading to the design of a series of new multi-functional spaces that blur the boundary between the built environment and the surrounding landscape while aspiring to achieve Net Zero Energy.
Central to this design is the development of a designated boathouse rental space, offering users a more streamlined and secure experience. A new café space elegantly responds to the site's stone topography constraints. Utilizing site walls to create a plinth, the structure appears to float above the rugged mass of quarried stone. Programs begin to permeate one another, as the café space extends beyond its confines, projecting into an inviting outdoor gathering space. A multi-use open-air classroom follows suit towards the water. The relationships between these structures are defined by three terraces that aid in connecting outdoor programmatic spaces and providing an ADA-compliant path throughout the site.
This innovative design narrative transcends the traditional boundaries of architecture and exemplifies a profound commitment to sustainability and harmonious coexistence with nature.
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