SANAA’s meandering river building underway for autumn 2015 opening

the winding roof extends to cover 86,000 square feet of mixed program which will complement the woodlands and wetlands park 'grace farms' near new canaan, connecticut.

trent fredrickson November 24, 2014 3 min

with construction underway, the woodlands and wetlands park ‘grace farms’ has announced it will be open for public access in the autumn of 2015. for the project, architecture office SANAA designed a building known as ‘river’, which has taken its full meandering form through the idyllic landscape near new canaan, connecticut. the structure extends, with a nearly continual roof, over a series of indoor and outdoor spaces containing a mix of programs such as an amphitheater, library, dining/living rooms, welcome center, and multipurpose gymnasium.

SANAA river building grace farms new canaan construction designboom
the building is comprised of a continual roof and transparent walls
image © dean kaufman (also main image) / all images courtesy of grace farms

SANAA’s grace farms project aims to provide a publicly accessible open environment, ‘where people may experience nature, foster community, pursue justice and explore faith,’ as stated on the non-profit organization’s website. the 86,000 square foot SANAA-designed building seeks to blend with features of the landscape while offering additional functionality to community members visiting. its glass-walled envelopes allow for visual transparency between indoor and outdoor, while its geometries take an organic motion to reflect qualities of the environment. he scheme was conceived in collaboration with landscape studio OLIN.

see designboom’s initial coverage of ‘river’ here, at the time of the scheme’s unveiling in autumn of 2012.

SANAA river building grace farms new canaan construction designboom

the gently curving timber canopy is elevated by a steel frame
image © dean kaufman

upon the announcement of the landscape site in autumn 2015, grace farms foundation’s president sharon prince remarked, ‘through this blending of landscape, architecture and multifaceted programs, with the arts running through them as a common thread, we hope to offer people a special place to share a quiet walk through the meadows, enjoy coffee or an intimate concert, pitch in with helping others for a worthy cause or get in touch with the deepest questions about the meaning of our lives. the possibilities of grace farms are as open as the landscape itself, which is the spirit that SANAA has so perfectly conveyed.’

SANAA river building grace farms new canaan construction designboom