LA JOLLA COMFORT STATION

Located within the La Jolla Cove area in the City of San Diego, adjacent to the coast and beautiful cliffs, the previously existing comfort station was built in 1967 and had faithfully served the community and the adjacent park for more than 50 years. The new project, initiated by a community group, called for the replacement of the facility to provide a better suited building for public use and safety. With a new design that would follow the community approved concept plans, landscaping, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements of La Jolla, the project was completed in the spring of 2022. The new EB Scripps Park Comfort Station is a 2,000 sf structure, with spaces for public use and site improvements that respect and harmonize with the surrounding area.

The goals for the new building were to provide a state-of-the-art facility that enhances public safety and wellness, and to support the activities of a diverse outdoor community. The building, equipped with gendered toilets, single occupancy all-gender bathroom stalls, hand washing stations and changing areas, serve park users and the community at large, while exterior and interior showers provide for needs of nearby divers, swimmers, and beach goers. It was important to create site and program relations by positioning the outdoor showers to face beach access, while the park side is fronted with an information kiosk, storage space and power to support community events such as concerts.

To stimulate connectivity of the park and beach community it was critical that the structure be identifiable and should, therefore, act as a landmark. The signature floating roof, positioned and shaped to reminisce wings in flight, incorporates translucent panels and open lattice works that emphasize an airy environment and connectivity to the elements, allowing natural air flow, ventilation, and light to access the interiors. The bold concrete walls ground the building and are textured and color blended to represent the coastal habitat and natural bluffs in the nearby coastlines.