Columbia Rowing Boathouse
The Columbia Rowing Team Boathouse functions as both an academic facility and a community amenity. The building serves as a storage shed for the team’s boats on the lower floor while athletic programs and administrative offices occupy the upper levels. The facade of the building was inspired by row boats in motion in a river, sliding past one another during a race. The resulting pattern of windows and solar panels is wrapped around a series of nested shells that contain the interior programs and provide shelter for the boats below. The facade’s fenestration faces away from direct sunlight and roof-mounted solar panels help to reduce energy demands.