Have you ever walked into the "perfect" park district facility? If you have, you knew it from the moment you caught a glimpse of that facility. The site showcased the facility; the facility drew you near, and the lobby exploded into multiple directions, each pulling you on a different path. The facility created excitement for the activities it housed and for which it was created. The facility allowed the park district good control from a few central locations. Smaller details were all remembered including properly placed electrical outlets, cozy viewing areas and cube lockers in front of specific program rooms.

After all your senses had been stimulated and you took a minute to reflect on this architectural wonder, you may have asked your self why the facility was designed like that or why other facilities were not like that. The answer is careful planning by the district and the architectural firm in a team approach. The architectural phase in which all the planning and critical decisions are made is called the preliminary or schematic design phase.

"If you don't get it right in this phase, there is no hope for the rest of the project," said Ted Sente, principal of Sente & Rubel Ltd., Architects. "The schematic design phase is to an award-winning park district facility that a rough draft is to a Pulitzer Prize winning novel," he added.

The schematic design phase represents 15 percent of the entire architectural design and construction process. It is the first phase of the project. By the end of this phase, agreement is reached on a preliminary site plan, floor plan(s), building elevation and cost estimate.

But before the first line is drawn, lengthy communication must take place between the park district and the architect. The architect should investigate the park district's history, get an inventory of all their facilities and understand how this facility will affect existing ones. The architect should also review the district's current programs and future plans, and clearly understand the district's project scope, time schedule and budget. If the park district staff hasn't already done so, they should, with the architect's assistance, establish a prioritized "wish list" of program spaces that they would like to see included in the facility. This phase may become more involved if there are several alternative sites and/or locations where the district is considering locating the facility. "Since all subsequent architectural phases develop or build upon the decisions made in this phase, take your time to plan it carefully," suggests Joe Rubel, principal of Sente & Rubel Ltd.

When important decisions are made, important persons should be involved. Of course, it is up to the park district to tell the architect who will be involved in the design process. In addition to the park district director and commissioners, it is wise to also include superintendents, program supervisors and maintenance personnel who will be directly involved with the facility. At the very least, all of these staff individuals should review the site and floor plans. The commissioners and director can convey the "big picture" and major issues to the architect. The staff specifically involved in this facility focuses on working out the details to make it run smoothly and often are better able to communicate the needs of the facility users and operators. Staff decisions should be directed to the Board for review and critique at regular intervals. It is helpful to have a core design committee that works closely with the architect.

In designing the Bensenville Park District Deer Grove Leisure Center, the park district staff invited other park district superintendents of recreation and facility managers to review the architect's preliminary floor plans. Their feelings were that each of these individuals had gone through the process of building a recreation center at one time or another. In each case, they had personal experience in operating in a recreation center and could assist Bensenville by communicating successes or areas where they would have made changes. "In my opinion, the more eyes that are reviewing a drawing, the less chance there is that we've missed something," said Bensenville Park District Director Bob Kunkel.

"The team approach is a phase that Sente and Rubel uses to describe how our firm chooses to work with our park district clients," said Ted Sente. "We view our projects as joint ventures. An architect specializing in serving park district clients knows how to design park district buildings and the park district knows how they want to operate their particular facilities. The team approach involves the sharing of this information through good, clear communication. A delicate balance is required to stimulate the most productive collaboration between a park district and architect. The architect cannot control the project to the extentthat the park district no longer feels that the facility is uniquely theirs, while the park district should not hamperthe architect's design talents to the degree that his or her creativity is limited."

The result of the preliminary design phase is ideally a design

that meets the client's needs and solves problems. "The clearer the park district communicates their needs to the architect, the more able a design will be created that will meet those needs," said Sente & Rubel Chief Designer Richard Redemske. "You can get a good design that doesn't solve the problem for the client. Also note that an architect can arrive at a design solution which serves the client more expediently if clear, concise information and criteria are received. This amounts to fewer revisions, less time and less park district money spent on changing the focus of the design concept in later architectural phases, or during construction."

It would be worthwhile for park district personnel and/or commissioners to visit similar facilities whether they are operated by park districts, YMCA's or the private sector to get ideas. Mental or written notes that can be shared with the architect are critical. Most importantly, the best contribution that the park district can make is to offer a generous time commitment and work closely with the architect.

As in any joint venture, both parties have to bring their expertise said Director Kathy Cassens. "Ted helped in our approval process of the design by returning to the next board meeting with a model representing the community center's dimensions, exterior materials and color. Turning the two-dimensional drawings into a three-dimensional representation of our building proved to be very helpful." Without such a clear understanding of the facility's appearance, design and function, both the park district and architect are exposed to the possibility that at a later stage in the project, the client may be disappointed or want major changes.

"Most lay people are not skilled at reading blueprints," said Wheeling Park District Director Karop Bavougian. "A model was particularly helpful when presenting our project to the Village Planning Commission and Appearance Commission.

Ted Sente, left, president of Sente & Rubel Ltd., explains what the Park District's new 50,000 square foot
recreation center will look like to Wheeling Park District Manager Karop Bavougian, commissioners
Francine Melamed, William D. Mattes, Dennis R. Drake, Thomas R. Webber, and Edward L. Klocke.

"At the end of our presentation, an Appearance Commission member suggested to the commission that they should make it a requirement for every group presenting a proposed building project to have a model because it allowed her to fully and visually understand what was being planned. Additionally, a model is a great to the team. The architect also has responsibilities for a successful project. The architect's basic role in the design phase is to assist the client in developing an idea and then transforming this idea into a workable, functional, aesthetic, three-dimensional reality. This process involves explaining to the park district how the preliminary plan evolved from park district input and information.

"In our business, it is common to find clients having difficulty visualizing a design concept," said Ted Sente, "Sometimes a two-dimensional representation of a facility cannot adequately depict the finished structure."

At a recent Roselle Park District board meeting, the Park District commissioners and staff met to approve the preliminary design concept of their new Clauss Community Center. "By the conclusion of our meeting, it seemed clear to architect Ted Sente and me that not all of the group were visualizing the same concept," tool to share with various community groups and the community in general, so that they can see what their facility is going to look like."

'Too much time, energy and dollars are spent on the design and construction of a park district facility not to go through the process to carefully plan the perfect facility," said Joe Rubel. "Devote your time; know your responsibilities. Communicate your wishes and work together as a team. The preliminary design phase will help to ensure that your goal of a perfect facility will be met right from the start."

About the Author
Carol Sente is the Marketing Director for Sente & Rubel Ltd., Architects.