Watercraft Storage Shelter

Situated at the top of the slope leading down to the major waterfront recreation area of the camp, this Watercraft Storage Shelter provides a much-needed structure for protecting and organizing all the equipment associated with the waterfront activities of the camp. At the same time, the structure reinforces the boundary of the active camp grounds, while forming a portal for those entering the grounds via one of the major trails arriving from the adjacent wooded area.

Small items — personal flotation devices (PFD’s), oars, paddles, ropes — are stored on racks in closets behind lockable sliding doors, while larger items — canoes, paddleboards, kayaks — rest on supports on the rear side of the shelter. Plenty of platform space is provided for equipment demonstrations to prepare campers for their ocean excursions.

The shelter is constructed of local woods: fir and hemlock for the structural elements, and cedar for decking and siding, all left untreated to weather to develop their natural patina. Primarily assembled using bolted connections, the structural components are left exposed to express the straightforward architectural concept of the project.

This project was constructed at Camp Fircom on Gambier Island by students of the UBC School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture during May/June of 2018 based on the design developed during the preceding school term.

Images and Plans