Award-winning Recreation Destination
Design Emulates Rock Forms

by hanna_kowal | June 1, 2026 10:17 am

The design of Stone Climbing[1] Jacksonville in Florida integrates the exterior landscape into the building, creating an atmosphere more akin to actual rock climbing than to a typical warehouse conversion.

[2]“Buildings hold memory and create meaning over time,” explains R. Conner Dowling, AIA, principal and founder of Open City Architecture[3], the architecture firm for the project. It is this understanding that drives the intentional design approach to the project.

This “climbing canyon” is a new 1,440 m² (15,500 sf) state-of-the-art indoor climbing facility located in Deerfield Park. The building is a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) system with corrugated steel panels cladding the entire exterior.

All-inclusive climbing infrastructure

This facility provides comprehensive climbing experiences for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced climbers, serving as both a recreational destination and competitive training center for the Jacksonville community. Stone Climbing Jacksonville includes training spaces, retail areas, community rooms, a gym, and support facilities.

“We wanted to reinforce the connection to the outdoors while providing the controlled, safe environment of an indoor facility,” shares Dowling.[4]

The building’s form changes in height to accommodate interior spatial needs, allowing the architecture to shape itself around the climbing experience. The varied roofline—with heights spanning 7.6 m (25 ft) to 16.8m (55 ft)—follows the functions within: lower volumes for bouldering areas and support spaces, rising dramatically to accommodate tall climbing walls and advanced routes.

Like rock forms, the structure’s distinct sections layer in a crystalline formation. This vast shape is complimented by the vertical corrugation of metal panels, lending a natural clean aesthetic to the jagged appearance.[5]

Large windows and skylights connect climbers to the sky and surrounding landscape, reinforcing the connection to outdoor climbing while providing the controlled environment of an indoor facility. The steel cladding enables flexible daylighting opportunities, adapting to the uniquely shaped angular window on a street-facing wall without visual disruptions in the cladding material.

The building integrates climbing walls of varying heights and difficulties, bouldering areas, training spaces, retail areas, and support facilities. The architectural design carefully balances the functional requirements of a climbing gym with structural support for climbing wall systems, safety features, and flexible programming spaces with an inviting, light-filled environment that welcomes climbers and spectators alike.

Recognizing project excellence

[6]

Open City Architecture was awarded the Commercial Real Estate Development Association[7] [formerly the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)] Award of Excellence for Best New Building Under $15M for the project.

It was presented to R. Conner Dowling, Open City Architecture; Eric Hires, Stone Climbing; and Edmundo Gonzalez and Ronnie Leinwohl, Urban Partners Construction.

The (NAIOP) Awards of Excellence, presented by the NAIOP Northeast Florida Chapter, is an annual program that recognizes the best projects, developments, real estate transactions, and individual contributions in the region’s commercial real estate industry.

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/news/recreation-destination-rock/

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