Middletown, Connecticut
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Middletown Sports
Hall of Fame and American Legion Hall Middletown, Connecticut |
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Projects
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The program involved
the adaptive re-use of an existing 4,600 s.f. warehouse into a sports museum
and American Legion hall. The building, owned by the City of Middletown,
is leased by the American Legion. The point of departure for the design developed from the context of the existing storage building and Palmer Field. The rhythm of the brick pilasters and the arched and corbelled brick detailing suggested potential for design. Additionally, Palmer Field's green masonry buildings and red metal framed stadium seating structure suggested certain cues. These contextual signals evolved into the typological image of an abstracted sports stadium. The need for a focus opened the opportunity for the central entry canopy system. The stepped soffit configuration is intended to evoke the sense of entering a sports stadium, as being a significant event. This is reinforced by the recessed glass block and doors in the three middle bays. In addition, the latticed entry sign is reminiscent of stadium signs and scoreboards. The building is intended to communicate at many levels. The use of flags read as symbols, creating a sense of pride and celebration. Furthermore, the round insignias and symbols, within each bay flanking the entrance, direct attention to the military branches as well as to a variety of sports. The American Legion and the Sports Hall of Fame co-exist in a symbiotic relationship.  |
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