Port Orchard Community Events Center

In Port Orchard, a new community events center is taking shape. Envisioned as a gathering place for meet-ups, musical events, lectures, galas, fitness classes, markets, and much more, the Port Orchard Community Events Center (POCEC) will reinvigorate the waterfront of one of Kitsap’s beloved maritime cities.

Community engagement took center stage during the design of the POCEC, which provided the Rice Fergus Miller architectural and interior design teams with a plethora of inspiration. One of the priorities that rose to the top was the need for covered outdoor space – a precious commodity in the drizzly Pacific Northwest. This is reflected in the design of the building, which features cantilevered, geometric forms that create deep overhangs for shelter from the rain or sun. Also of design significance is a patterned screen-like cladding element with the word ‘community’ seemingly carved from it, with back-lighting at night.

The project will cost roughly $20M to construct and contains 24,000 square feet of a range of community spaces. It will feature plentiful outdoor spaces with sweeping views of Sinclair Inlet, decks that jut out toward the water, easy access to a waterfront trail, and a coffee shop on the ground floor.