Curves Reflect Cycle of Life and the Importance of Gathering at the Gila River Indian Community Center
Staying connected and building community are central to the culture of the Gila River Indian Community in Sacaton, Arizona. The recently built 48,577-square-foot Gila River Indian Community District 3 multipurpose building gives the community an opportunity to express its values and gather in a central location. Curves, reflecting the spatial elements of time, life and wellness, were created with Flex-C Trac from Flex-Ability Concepts. The design team says curves’ organic nature and response to cultural influences were a natural fit for this project.
“The facility, designed as nine concentric circles tied to the Tree of Life, flows around the concept of having community members participate directly and interact with each other, encouraging storytelling, communication and interaction through activities and learning, a place to learn about mind and body wellness, addressing the cultural values of the Gila River Indian community,” the architects said in a statement. The design architect was Carlos A. Murrieta, AIA, NCARB, LEED BD+C, NOMA, co-founder/principal of Merge Architectural Group in Phoenix, and the architect of record was Travis Irvine, NCARB, LEED AP, from ID Studio in Phoenix.