Bay Breeze Youth & Elderly Care Center
Program: Intergenerational Community Center
Project Type: Civic Building
Location: Apalachicola, FL
Paired Project: Maple Grove Community Hub, Stowe, VT
Date: April 2022
Concept
The Bay Breeze Center was designed as an intergenerational hub that unites youth and elderly communities under one roof while responding to the unique challenges of Apalachicola’s humid subtropical climate. The project served as a comparative study alongside the Maple Grove Community Hub in Vermont, with the goal of testing passive strategies for heating and cooling across two distinct climates.
Site & Climate
Located in Apalachicola, Florida, the site is defined by hot summers, mild winters, and high humidity. Passive cooling strategies were prioritized to reduce mechanical loads and enhance user comfort.
Program
1. Gathering hall for intergenerational activities
2. Shared classrooms and workshop spaces
3. Wellness rooms for elderly care
4. Indoor/outdoor recreational areas for youth
5. Flexible open spaces for communal interaction
Passive Design Strategies
- North-facing windows: Reduced direct solar heat gain while maximizing daylight.
- Open floor plan: Encouraged cross-ventilation and natural breezes.
- Southern overhangs: Provided shading from high summer sun, lowering cooling demand.
In contrast, the Vermont hub used strategies for cold climates such as south-facing windows for solar gain, large glazing areas, compact planning, and earth-bermed walls.
Energy Analysis
Bay Breeze Center (Apalachicola): 71.2 kBtu/sf/year
Maple Grove Hub (Vermont): 126 kBtu/sf/year
Findings:
The warm-climate strategies at Bay Breeze proved significantly more effective at lowering energy consumption compared to the Vermont model, highlighting the importance of tailoring design to climate.
The warm-climate strategies at Bay Breeze proved significantly more effective at lowering energy consumption compared to the Vermont model, highlighting the importance of tailoring design to climate.
Key Takeaways
- Climate specificity is essential: strategies effective in Florida differ drastically from Vermont.
- Warm-climate solutions emphasize openness, shade, and airflow.
- Cold-climate solutions balance solar gain with insulation but may increase overall energy demand.
- Intergenerational community centers offer rich opportunities to explore passive design while supporting wellness and social connection.