St. Thomas Community Centre

The St. Thomas Community Centre is a single storey community building located in the Conception Bay area of Newfoundland, Canada. The building made of up three distinct forms on a slab-on-grade concrete foundation – two rectangular shed forms connected by a vestibule.

The exterior painted pine cladding is not only durable and economical, but is also beautiful with a bright, vibrant colour and warm texture.  The colour was chosen to offset the often overcast sky of the North Atlantic Ocean.  The somewhat rough and varied texture of the wood cladding is warm and welcoming, which is important as the building is approached from all 4 sides.   In an effort to better express the building form, exterior detailing was kept visually very simple.  This is achieved through constrained use of flashing and trim, concealed gutters, mitered cladding corners, concealed gutters, and large black aluminum window openings with thin profiles.

The St. Thomas Community Centre captures the unique improvisational quality of traditional Newfoundland vernacular while maintaining the crisp lines, sharp details, and straightforward functionality of the contemporary East Coast Modern style. The building provides a bright and welcoming hub for the community.

Design Team: Taryn Sheppard, Chris Woodford, Jessica Stanford, Chris Panting
Photography: Julian Parkinson, Chad Sharpe