Surrey’s Clayton Community Centre awarded prestigious international architecture award

SURREY’S newest recreational facility, the Clayton Community Centre, has been awarded the IOC IAKS Bronze Award.

On October 26, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) presented awards for exemplary sports and leisure architecture. Eighty-six projects in contention from all corners of the globe were ranked by a panel of architectural experts.

“The IOC IAKS Award highlights exemplary buildings that integrate sustainability with innovation, strong functional planning and exceptional architectural design, and we are very pleased the Clayton Community Centre has received this prestigious recognition,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum on Monday. “Many thanks to hcma architecture + design for bringing the City’s vision for this state-of-the-art community centre to life.”

“I can’t wait to see how the community makes Clayton Community Centre their own,” said hcma’s Lead Architect, Melissa Higgs. “This facility breaks new ground in the fight against climate change. It was designed as the first community centre to be Passive House in North America and – equally important – we see it’s fast becoming a place where people from all walks of life feel welcome. The City of Surrey’s courageous vision for this project will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Clayton Community Centre.

The IOC IAKS Awards and the IPC IAKS Distinction are the most sought-after prizes for sports, leisure and recreational facilities. Since 1987, the architecture prizes have been presented every two years in recognition of firms and facilities for their exemplary design, function and innovation.

The IPC IAKS Distinction aims at increasing the accessibility of all sports and leisure facilities and architectural structures to offer all people opportunities to practise and view sport freely and without barriers.

The new 75,000-square-foot recreational centre is designed as a Passive House, which lowers the building’s carbon footprint by using 90% less energy to operate.