SPECIAL FOCUS

Reactivating Community Parks
with Architecture

Two park areas in the city of Chicago find new vitality thanks to
beautiful and thoughtfully designed structures

BY DAVID WOODHOUSE, FAIA

© Barbara Karant. Respecting the original park plan's historical significance and heritage, the design or the service pavilions in Grant Park preserves all views along Buckingham Fountain's visual axes.

Two park settings in Chicago—Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park and Rainbow Beach Park—offer spectacular vistas of the lakefront and the city skyline. The world-famous fountain is a high-profile and historic urban centerpiece. Ten miles south lies Rainbow Beach Park with its breathtaking view of the city. Yet, until recently, both park areas had been underutilized, creating a negative impact on attendance and a diminished sense of importance within their communities. This article highlights how the Chicago Park District and David Woodhouse Architects worked together to design essential amenities for these city parks, bringing the areas new life. And, proving that when architecture responds to its public—discreetly, appropriately and beautifully—it is a pure expression of community To Build or Not To Build The first step for any park district to consider when adding a facility is an analysis of the area, taking into account the effectiveness of the facilities the park already has. If nearby, just how far is it to these services?

What are the demographics and projected attendance of the visitors who will be using the facilities? What might they like to have, now and in the future? A decision can be made once needs are weighed against the proximity and usefulness of the existing services, with a preliminary budget in mind.

For a new building project on open park land, you are most likely concerned about the impact this could have on the natural environment. Will the structure(s) encroach on the park's expansiveness and views? Will architecture usurp the special character of the setting?

How will the patrons best be served? What are some of the design considerations concerning style, scale, materials and palette? What about issues of accessibility, circulation and signage? And who will be making all these decisions?

The architectural process can be understandably intimidating with so much at stake. But rather than fearing the worst, know that well-designed park buildings, like those designed for Grant Park and Rainbow Beach, truly have the potential for a tremendous enhancement of open space.

Visitor Services Pavilions at Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain

The decision to build is triggered by the need for services. In the case of Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, visitors formerly had to walk about a quarter mile

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© Tricia Koning. Rainbow Beach Park's breathtaking location is complemented by dramatic architecture that opens up to Lake Michigan and welcomes the community.

just to find a restroom because the existing facilities were deemed below grade. (Imagine this with a small child!) What was available was a string of tacky food trailers and portable toilets that had marred the splendor of the landmark setting.

With the impressive restoration of the fountain in 1996 and a renewed interest in the downtown, the park district wisely responded to this problem by deciding to build services pavilions. Working with the park district, David Woodhouse Architects ultimately designed two refreshment facilities and two comfort stations. These facilities received two awards for their function and form: "Best Open Space Enhancement" from Chicago's Friends of Downtown and a "Distinguished Building Award" from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Situated at the farthest corners of the classical park plaza, the jewel box pavilions, completed in 1997, are vastly subordinate to the fountain in scale and preserve all sight lines along this historic landscape. The pavilions' discreet design pays homage to the beaux arts fountain as well as Chicago's great architectural heritage with references to Daniel Burnham and Frank Lloyd Wright. Palette, glass canopies and decorative ornamental cutouts reflect the cascading waters of the fountain and surrounding trees.

By the integration of these much-needed amenities, visitors are encouraged to linger and enjoy the spectacular vista, and an under-served social gathering space has been revitalized.

Rainbow Beach Park Fieldhouse and Beach Buildings

The need to build was even more clear-cut at Rainbow Beach, Chicago's most popular beach in the '50s and early '60s. After that, usage declined and so did upkeep, evoking a sense of isolation and abandonment in the area.

There were definite requirements to be met if this under-served community park was to be revitalized. So, the architect and park district set in motion a "bring the people" approach to the design table.

Rainbow Beach is its community's front yard, where this busy urban neighborhood meets the natural setting of the Lake Michigan shoreline. Exciting new facilities had to respond to both these environments within a thoughtfully integrated, community-based park plan. The buildings would symbolize the Chicago Park Districts commitment to the neighborhood.

To revitalize this community space, the Chicago Park District and the architect developed a plan for a wide array of recreational opportunities. The plan consists of a gymnasium, fitness rooms, activity rooms and beach facilities with support areas providing for concessions, a lifeguard station and rest rooms. The buildings—one main multipurpose structure or fieldhouse and two ancillary pavilions-

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comprise approximately 19,000 square feet and have been oriented to take maximum advantage of the site. With views of the lake and downtown skyline fully exploited, a gateway of sorts is created to the neighborhood's lakefront.

The massing and materials employed are an updated version of Daniel Burnham's monumental park district fieldhouses of a bygone era. David Woodhouse Architects' design also provides for the possible future incorporation of a natatorium.

Getting Started An ideal resource for researching architectural firms that have the specific experience you are seeking is the ArchiPages, a publication of the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (or AIA Chicago.) Most public libraries will have a copy, or you can request your own for $35 plus tax by contacting AIA Chicago at 312.670.7770. The ArchiPages lists licensed AlA-member firms throughout the state of Illinois with background information on firm size, expertise, personnel and relevant projects. In addition, there are helpful sections addressing: • Why Hire an Architect? • How Do You Select an Architect? • What Is Normally Included in an Architect's Services? • Compensating Your Architect • 20 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Get Started • 20 Questions to Ask Your Architect • The Steps Involved in Design and Construction—What to Expect Another excellent resource is the national American Institute of Architects' searchable database of firms by city, state, type of project and type of service. The database can be accessed through their Web site at www.aiaonline.com. AIA Chicago provides a similar service locally and can be reached at www.aiachicago.org. These Web sites also provide links to specific firms' Web sites (where available) for more in-depth research. You will find addresses. Web sites and phone numbrs for regional AIA chapters listed at the front of the ArchiPages. Chapter offices may compile an appropriate list of firms for your review if requested. — by David Woodhouse, FAIA

Tips for the Building Process

• Interface with the Community

Your new building project should be a very careful and deliberate response to your community's needs. The architects role is to meld the aesthetic and functional components with those needs.

There may be initial objections to your plan from the public. View this challenge as an opportunity as you work with the camps both for and against your project. Have regular meetings with community groups, incorporating their ideas and concerns into the design and program. The process of garnering general feedback is important because it fosters involvement by the whole community and helps winover potential naysayers.

For example, once the Chicago Plan Commission—a regulatory body of the city government that enforces the lakefront protection ordinance approved the Visitor Services Pavilions at Buckingham Fountain, it was easy to move ahead with other watchdog groups that initially had concerns about the project.

• Choose the Right Architect for the Job

Probably the most important decision of all is the selection of your architect. The architect will translate the voice of the people into a tangible reality, with you as the agent.

Most importantly, the architect should have an excellent record of meeting project budgets. The right architect for the job is not necessarily the lowest bidder or the one with the exact experience you are seeking. Often a broad-based portfolio brings more to the table than a specialist can. A cookie-cutter approach is doomed to failure because every site is different and worthy of an individual flair. On the other hand, someone with a strong background in public projects who understands the approval process and can confidently straddle the community-client relationship will be an asset.

"It is vital to hire a firm that you trust and have a good rapport with," says Joe Hoerner, director of property management for the Chicago Park District. "Then, allow them to do what they do best."

• Understand the Site

Especially in an environment such as a park or forest preserve, recreational architecture must interpret, respect and improve upon the attributes of its natural setting. This component—sensitivity the building's site—is the key to the successful outcome of your project.

Your architect will need to understand the chosen site in a profound way—its best physical elements as well as its negative traits—then design in harmony with the conditions and energy present. At the same

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time, your nonnegotiable design requirements must be clearly communicated for this "form" to follow function. The architect will be working to correlate two aesthetics—one natural, one built—in terms of style, light, scale, views, palette, pathways, open space and materials. The result should be a meaningful bridge between a blending-in and the convenience of contemporary engineering and architecture

At Buckingham Fountain, it was mandated that the pavilions respect the axis and symmetry of the fountain platform, while being as diminutive and unobtrusive as possible to not encroach on the magnificence of the landmark.

At Rainbow Beach, the program called for a set of buildings appropriately scaled for its site and human factor, using the best of modem materials, but with a sense of civic grandeur. The buildings' welcoming architecture opens up the community to a view of the city skyline, and glows at night as a beacon of security in a once desolate area.

• Set a Timetable and Stick To It

The architectural process may be arduous and challenging, especially if there are tendencies to slip off track. A focused objective and timetable will assist you here. It is particularly helpful if decisions can be made expediently; being a good client means being a thorough but efficient communicator.

"Set your project goals early and always go back to your original goals as the project unfolds," advises Joe Hoerner.

Conclusion

The addition of a handsomely designed built environment within a serene and lovely natural environment can be a joyous marriage when complementary qualities unite. Whether a monumental presence is in order or simply a discreet and understated accessory, a successful project means that your patrons ultimately will be better served something in which your agency can take great pride.

For the Chicago Park District, the foresight to build the Visitor Services Pavilions at Buckingham Fountain and the Rainbow Beach Park Fieldhouse and Beach Buildings has resulted in the creation of popular destination attractions for many years to come.

Below: © Tricia Konig. In its design for the Rainbow Beach Park fieldhouse, David Woodhouse Architects makes reference to Daniel Burnham's monumental park district buildings of a bygone era in mossing, scale and materials.

At Right: © Barbara Karant. The forms of the columns and brackets of the Visitor Services Pavilions, and their variegated green colors, harmonize with the arcing elms and surrounding hawthorns, while the fan-shaped glass canopies and decorative trim evoke the waters of Buckingham Fountain.

DAVID WOODHOUSE, FAIA

is the principal of David Woodhouse Architects, an architecture and inferior design
firm known for ifs award-winning civic, cultural and recreational projects. David
Woodhouse Architects is an associate member of the Illinois Association of Park
Districts. The firm is located at 811 W. Evergreen Avenue, Chicago, Hi., 60622;
312.943,3/20 (phone); 312.943.3432 (raxj; dwarchs@aol.com (e-mail).

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