Photo credit: Ema PeterThe new Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre located in Burnaby, British Columbia, designed by interdisciplinary firm hcma architecture + design, aims to priotitize the public experience and offers a high-performance ice arena alongside a vibrant, accessible, and inclusive community hub.The project, which aims to blend best practices for superior ice quality with the use of warm wood, natural light, and a transparent, open layout, creates a rich, dynamic experience for visitors both on and off the ice.The $49.5 million facility is 8,547 square meters/91,999 square feet and its state-of-the-art design rejects the outdated model of cold, windowless, steel-trussed ice arenas, dedicated solely to sport.Photo credit: Ema PeterThe facility, was named in honour of Rosemary Brown, a trailblazing Canadian advocate for social justice and equality. As a result, the recreation centre embodies her legacy, standing as a place for all Burnaby residents to gather, play, and compete.Without impacting ice quality, a distinctive structural approach floods the rinks with north-facing light while the exposed mass timber roof creates an inviting space for both players and spectators. This approach, which is considered unconventional, required a hybrid steel-timber roof system, using wood as an essential component due to its geometric flexibility, ease of construction, and inviting aesthetic.Wood plays an integral role in the character of the centre and aims to symbolize warmth and durability, while also ensuring quick, efficient assembly on the compact site. With a, the structure is both striking and technically proficient.Photo credit: Ema PeterThe flexibility of the hybrid steel-timber roof system allowed a complex geometry that made north-facing clerestories that provide an abundance of natural light possible.Glulams, which serve as both beams and vertical columns, support the structure in the lobby and contribute to its inviting ambience visible from both the inside and outside. The use of nail-laminated timber (NLT) for the lobbys decking system allows for superior acoustic integration, and enhances the overall experience and finish of the space.The facility is nestled in Burnabys emerging Southgate community. The sites tight footprint led to a non-traditional arrangement of its two NHL-sized ice sheets: an L-shape with a central lobby located at their meeting point.This arrangement allows for an improved interface and openness between the lobby and the ice sheets, as well as a friendly elevation to the street, community, and beyond.The recreation centre provides multipurpose rooms and spaces within the lobby for a range of activities beyond ice sports. These include pickleball, Pilates and playoff watch parties.Second-floor warm-side viewing galleries offer guests comfortable, accessible viewing, while informal areas directly behind allow children to play. Inclusive design extends to every aspect of the facility, with braille and tactile signage created by hcmas communication design team.Photo credit: Ema PeterNow open to the public, the centre is set to be an essential fixture in Burnabys Southgate community.Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre is more than an arena; its a space designed to foster community through recreation and high-performance sport. The Centres ambition is to become an essential fixture in Burnabys Southgate community, supporting the next generation of athletes, weekend warriors, and recreation enthusiasts alike, said Paul Fast, principal, hcma architecture + design.The post hcmas Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre opens in Burnaby, BC appeared first on Canadian Architect.