Harwich Community Center

Harwich, Massachusetts

In combining a senior center with a youth and recreation center, Harwich was able to build broad-based support for the project from a multi-generational constituency. The joint facility provided cost efficiencies and amenities for each user that wouldn't have been possible with separate buildings. While each group retains its identity, with separate entrances, reception, administration and meeting spaces, we were able to provide auditorium/multi-purpose, kitchen, exercise, childcare, game, and locker space and a high school-sized divisible gymnasium, available to all and administered by a Community Center manager from a central location. Through scheduling and the subdivision of larger spaces, flexibility and full utilization have been achieved. Instead of long institutional corridors, a sequence of spaces of varying widths encourages socializing, offering glimpses through interior windows of a variety of activities and enhancing the sense of community. A central entrance courtyard separates the age groups while creating a visual connection and sense of one multi-generational village center. The architecture reflects the predominant Greek Revival character of the historic Cape Cod town, achieved with maintenance-free materials.