Adjaye Associates envisions the new civic and cultural hub as a micro-village of two pavilions inside the Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, on the north side of Orlando, Florida. Each pavilion has a different scale and function, but all three share a common formal language.
The architectural language takes inspiration from the local fauna and the region’s vernacular and translates it into locally sourced rose-pigmented concrete, arched windows and vaulted rooflines.
“It’s been humbling and inspiring to work together with the City of Winter Park and the many local champions of this project to realize this 21st century prototype of a multi-purpose knowledge campus in the public realm. As a centerpiece of the revitalized MLK Jr. Park, the new campus is designed as a robust space for community gathering, edification and empowerment.”
- David Adjaye
The largest volume is of a more civic nature and houses a two-storey library. It comes with exciting features like a recording studio, maker spaces and an Entrepreneurship Center to support local startups.
The adjacent commercially focused building is an event center with a flexible auditorium space, an amphitheater, pre-event rooms for weddings and special occasions and a rooftop terrace that offers expansive views of the lakeside park.
Both buildings feature a bold sculptural staircase that anchors the interior. Adjaye Associates hopes to encourage cross-pollination through the diverse program and spatial ensemble.
