Evanston Illinois This 100,000 square foot community center and outdoor playing fields is designed to support the city of Evanston’s goal of being the “most livable city” in a transformative space that is flexible, forward looking, environmentally friendly and community centered. The building is designed to create an energetic gathering space for community members of all age groups through synergies between different programmatic elements both indoor—hockey rinks, indoor soccer field, basketball courts and library, day care center, multipurpose rooms—and outdoor playing fields.
The program is organized in a pinwheel arrangement around an open air courtyard which brings abundant natural light into the building interior and serves as a play and relaxation space for people of all ages. Visitors enter through an entry plaza; once inside, glass walls bounding the program areas allow the visitor to view all activities on offer, simultaneously. Library users can view into the basketball court, hockey players can see a dance class taking place. An indoor glazed running track at the second level offer joggers a view into the various program areas below in sequential fashion, while at the same time allow views to the playing fields outside.