In collaboration with Polk Stanley Wilcox

The new “Camp Commons” dining and activity hall, constructed of stone, glass, and laminated wood timbers, exemplifies the camp’s mission of serving children with disabilities and their families in an environmentally sustainable setting.  The building, crafted on both the exterior and interior of stone, glass, and wood is wrapped by a large elevated porch and is bisected by the building’s central public concourse.  This “hall of trees'' - crafted to inspire both as an anthropomorphic ideal and as a representation of the camp’s natural surroundings - serves both as the main circulation and informal gathering between the dining hall and the classroom(s) as the visual and physical focal point for campers. The building exemplifies the camp’s commitment to exceeding current ADA standards to enhance the quality of life for physically disabled children. The commitment to exceed accessible design guidelines was mirrored in the environmental stewardship of the building’s construction and operation. The project incorporated sustainable features such as natural daylighting, low or non-toxic emitting materials, 75% construction waste diversion, a high-efficiency lake-coupled geothermal mechanical system (resulting in a 46% reduction in energy cost), extensive use of recycled content, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and a 700-gallon stormwater collection tank.  The fruits of this effort were realized when the project was awarded the state’s first U.S. Green Building Council LEED “Gold” Certification.