The people have spoken! Popular design award for the
Rec Center at Boulevard

Out of more than two dozen projects competing for the People’s Choice Award in the AIA San Mateo County chapter’s biannual Design Awards program, Group 4’s Rec Center at Boulevard was the top vote-getter.

Boulevard is a new, transit-oriented urban development in one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s fastest-growing communities. At its heart is the Rec Center – a modern, vibrant, and engaging destination for residents to hang out, meet up, work out, and jump in.

The Rec Center uses materiality, modernity, and blending of indoor and outdoor spaces to capture the Boulevard community’s spirit. The living room, café, and indoor/outdoor lounges encourage impromptu, casual social connections. The community room and kitchen are designed to support birthday parties, wine tastings, and other neighborhood gatherings and celebrations. Fitness rooms support both drop-in exercise and organized classes. Flexible office and conference space are vital for residents’ remote work needs. And of course there are the outdoor lap and lounge pools – featuring a beach entry, BBQ lawn, and cabanas.

The Rec Center’s design deeply integrates sustainable features. Overhanging roofs shade window openings and minimizing cooling requirements, while sloped roofs direct stormwater to on-site bioswales. The pavilion-based design permits isolated heating and cooling to in-use spaces while exterior operable partitions provide for optional natural ventilation and direct connections to the outdoor lounges and pool deck.

Congratulations to the Boulevard community on this award!