Eagle Rock Park Clubhouse

Eagle Rock Park Clubhouse

The Eagle Park Clubhouse is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Located on the side of a popular city park that is higher in elevation, the clubhouse balances the solidity of brick masonry construction with lightness and transparency. Although certain features are in need of repair, the original design allowed for the large side walls to slide up via steel cables leaving only thin metal columns to frame the expansive views. With three open sides, the flexible space could accommodate a range of events, and it has been used as a venue for proms, community theater performances, and meetings since it opened in 1953. On the east side of the structure, a cantilevered roof hangs from large steel beams that stretch eight feet outward, creating the space for a large outdoor playroom which is ideal for days with inclement weather. While clever engineering meant this play space was not obstructed by columns, allowing play to extend in any direction, later officials inserted additional (and unnecessary) columns as a precaution. On the north edge of the building, a readily adaptable auditorium space allowed for performances to either be oriented toward interior audiences or outward to face a 400-person amphitheater. This amphitheater’s seating area is framed by a reflecting pool that separates it from the stage and short brick walls that partially enclose the space.

Adapted from Neutra – Complete Works by Barbara Lamprecht (Taschen, 2000), p. 260.