A Recreation and Wellness Center in Waldorf, Maryland: Creating Connections within a Suburban Community

Abstract

This thesis responds to the common condition of disjointed suburban communities, linked only by roads, in the fast-growing town of Waldorf, Maryland.

While the focus of recent development has been directed toward residential dwellings and restaurants, public recreation has been neglected. By applying a new fabric of residential and commercial development influenced by The New Urbanism, and a park system connected by a network of trails, the young members of the disjointed communities can be easily brought together for mental and physical stimulation outside of their homes, where such development is limited.

By creating a mixed-use recreation and wellness center in the new park system between three schools, visual and physical links can be formed. Interior spaces provide comfortable areas for activity, socializing, and assembly, all of which are integral parts of a healthier body, mind, and soul.