“Visionary in its emphasis on the microclimate and creation of public space and public presence inside and outside the facility. The ability to break up facades and integrate people-scaled spaces within these large volumes makes this an inviting building.”
— Monica Chadha, AIA

Location El Paso
Client City of El Paso
Architect Perkins&Will in association with In*Situ Architecture
Design Team Ron Stelmarski, FAIA, Jesus Pineda, AIA, Erica Mercer, AIA, Matthew Crummey, AIA, John Strasius, AIA; Henry D’Elena, AIA; William Helm, AIA, Edgar Lopez, AIA, Cesar Gonzalez, Jeff Hillmeyer
Contractor Sundt Construction
Civil Engineer Quantum Engineering Consultants
Structural Engineer HKN Engineers
MEP Engineer Bath Engineering
Concessions Profitable Food Facilities
Commissioning Parkhill, Smith & Cooper
Aquatics Aquatic Design Consultants
Landscape Architect Greenway Studio

The Eastside Regional Recreation Center serves a historically ignored, multigenerational population with a competition-class aquatics facility, gym, senior center, and outdoor aquatic park. Its design was inspired by the colors, forms, and light of the Chihuahuan Desert and includes cultural and geological references to the nearby Hueco Tanks State Park. The architects cite control of the intense desert light as a design driver: Shade structures permit outdoor activities, while oblique gaps between tilt panels let natural light inside without creating glare or reflections that could limit lifeguard visibility. The south facade, illuminated at night, creates a beacon for the neighborhood.

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