Rotary Pavilion at Franklin Park: City of Yakima

The Rotary Pavilion at Franklin Park in the heart of Yakima, is a venue designed to host musical performances, community events such as the Folk Life Festival and the Sunfair Invitational cross-country meet, as well as family gatherings and everyday use by local residents. This sloping covered shelter has exposed curved glulam beams supported by steel columns, each consisting of four spaced tube steel columns which are enclosed at the top and bottom. The raised floor of the Pavilion is comprised of a combination of pavers and concrete bands which radiate from the rear of the structure to emulate the rays of the sun and are reminiscent of the logo for the Sunrise Rotary Club, leader of the project. Two half height concrete masonry walls provide a backdrop to the platform and were acoustically designed to support musical performances as well as speakers. The south side, or rear of the Pavilion, was designed to include a water feature surrounded by landscaping, basalt columns and boulders. The water feature feeds a stream bed which in turn feeds a basalt “bowl” funded by the Yakima Valley Museum and provided as a drinking fountain for visiting dogs. The lawn area in front of the Pavilion is banded by arcs of concrete and pavers designed to provide level areas for audience seating. Ambient lighting is provided at the end of each arc in the form of drilled basalt columns outfitted with integrated light fixtures.