The Middle Branch Boathouse: [Re]Bridging Water, Sport & Community

Abstract

Of all sports, rowing is one of the most dynamic, yet elegant, while simultaneously highly skilled and technical. Dependent upon a rare form of calculated synchronization, the ideas of collaboration and dedication are indispensable. This thesis is interested in the process of creating architecture as an expression of the sport, investigating collaboration, reacting to the movement of the body and developing a method of expressing of the experience of rowing. It addresses the issues of connecting the boathouse to the surrounding area, particularly its waterfront condition, while making the building a community destination. Similarly, the boathouse must address the relationship of the body to the waterfront, both through the movements of the sport, and thought the relationship between the spectator and participant. It has the power to help in the revitalization the Middle Branch Park, reigniting the city's interest in this potential recreational oasis. This thesis strives to carry aspects of the sport: movement, ritual, sequence, rhythm, cadence and balance and manifest them into built form, to create a spirited, active and moving experience for all users.