Mark Cavagnero Associates was selected by The City of San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department to renovate and provide an addition to the existing Palega Recreation Center and surrounding five acre park located in the Portola neighborhood in San Francisco.  

Originally designed to be located in the middle of park the with its main gymnasium entries on the north side, and back logia entry leading to an outdoor pool, the pool was abandoned and the building was built along the south side of the park resulting in the back of the building fronting Felton Street.  Over the years the north entries were in-filled and converted to other uses and a side entry became the main public entry.  This entry is far from the street and difficult to find. 

To address the programmatic need for a clear entry, better visual and physical connection between the outdoor play area, and more space, the project includes an addition and adjoining outdoor play area located on the west side of the existing building. The addition canopy extends out to the Felton Street sidewalk to provide a clear and inviting public entry. The adjoining south facing lawn provides a place to meet and gather before or after using the park.  The addition itself opens both to the existing gym and the new adjoining play and picnic area and provides a strong visual and physical connection between the two which improves supervision, safety and a sense community.  The addition is a light weight steel and glass structure that, consistent with the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for the Treatment of Historic Structures, aims to be both deferential to and yet differentiated from the larger and heavier historic gymnasium building.

The project is a LEED gold project.  Open space is maximized.  Permeable surfaces and bioswales reduce the quantity and improve the quality of storm water run-off.  Smart irrigation at the sports fields and native drought tolerant planting elsewhere reduce water consumption.  The building and addition have natural light, natural ventilation and water based heating to reduce energy consumption. Photovoltaic panels are provided for energy generation.  The existing building is retained, and regional, renewable and recycled materials are used throughout the building and site.