ELLIOTT DUDNIK + ASSOCIATES

Architecture Engineering Planning Forensic Services

PROJECTS
Fieldhouse Expansion-renovation

As part of the overall renovation of the neighborhood park, the existing 30-year old one-story fieldhouse was completely gutted and substantially enlarged to provide facilities for staff, storage of playground and program materials and an improved space for a variety of recreational and community programs and activities. The enlarged and rebuilt fieldhouse now has a large glazed main entry, accented by a shaded pergola seating space, which faces onto the park rather than onto the street behind the building. Day camp and free lunch programs use the main activity space at the center of the building, which is illuminated by a sky-lit cupola that sits atop the new metal-clad pyramidal roof. Surrounding the main space are staff offices, a craft area and handicapped-accessible toilets open to both park users and building occupants.

The expansion enlarged the original building footprint by adding four corner rooms that provided for the new offices, additional sports equipment storage, and secured areas for mechanical equipment and trash dumpsters. The reconstruction also provided the opportunity for the entire exterior to be either constructed of or re-clad in brick thereby eliminating all traces of the original poured-in-place concrete walls that had deteriorated or been vandalized over time. The new aluminum windows are now double-glazed with clear laminated glass to admit more interior daylight while providing greater security. A new air-conditioning system permits use in the summertime by day camp and state-funded children's lunch programs and new interior and exterior lighting permit evening programming and serve to provide perimeter security as well as building identification.

The fieldhouse renovation project, together with our complete renovation of the surrounding park and recreation spaces, was awarded both the Margery B. Perkins Preservation Award for outstanding and sensitive alteration/addition and a Design Award for Urban Design and Planning from Design Evanston in 2010.