murakami/Nelson was part of a Design-Build team for the REACH Ashland Youth Center, a sustainably designed LEED Platinum building. The youth-focused facility is fully equipped with recreational, educational, health, and career services linked together by open and inviting community-center spaces. The programs offered include a public cafe, media production space, dance and fitness rooms, meeting/classrooms, a computer lab, game and visual arts rooms, a childcare center, a wellness center (health, dental and behavioral services), a career center, social gathering spaces and an activity courtyard. The design emphasizes transparency, openness and flexibility between the different functions. Spaces flow from interior to exterior from a public cafe to a stage/outdoor amphitheater - functions which take advantage of the adjacent park and allow the building to extend beyond its boundaries. Community participation and public artwork were integral to the success of this community asset.