NEWS

Vaughan Athletic Center receives Park and Recreation “Outstanding Facility and Parks Award”

The Vaughan Athletic Center was chosen by the Illinois Park & Recreation Association’s for  “The Outstanding Facility and Parks Award,” in recognition of outstanding achievement in recreation facility design.

This 227,000 s.f. recreation complex is the largest facility of it type in Illinois.  The new recreation center was designed to meet the current needs of the Fox Valley Park District while remaining adaptable to the future needs of the community.

 The complex adjoins the existing Aurora Tennis Club and includes a 10,000 s.f. fitness area along with a multi-purpose field house which features an indoor soccer field, basketball, volleyball, tennis and badminton courts, along with batting cages, a 1/8 mile in-door track, and a suspended running track encircling the perimeter of the field house.

Of all the options that await inside, there is one feature that appears to draw the most attention – the orange slide that swirls and curves outside the east end of the building, and eventually leads swimmers back inside to one of the two plunge pools.   “We’ve had moms tell us that, if the kids are in the car, they can’t even drive down Indian Trail,” said Tom Roe, the former facility manager. “The slide is a nice trademark for us.”

Within the aquatic area, you will find an eight-lane, 25-yard lap pool, a 7,000 s.f. leisure pool, therapy pool and recreational water system.  “We wanted to build something that everybody could benefit from - from the pre-schooler to the senior citizen,” Rowe said, “No one group could say you catered to one group or another.”

“We wanted people to come in and feel comfortable,” said Bruce Cairns, project architect for Cordogan Clark & Associates.  “With all the glass, it gives visibility to all the facilities inside.”

The Vaughan Athletic Center has been widely acclaimed and won numerous design awards.  It received the  American Institute of Architects’ Northeast Illinois Honor Awards - 2007 Distinguished Building Award; McGraw-Hill's Midwest Construction magazine’s “Best of 2006” Award of Merit in the Sports and Entertainment category;    the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) - 2006 Outstanding Indoor Multipurpose Facility Award; and was published in both the Recreation Management - May 2007 Innovative Architecture & Design Awards, and Athletic Business - June 2006 Architectural Showcase; in addition to winning the Illinois Park & Recreation (IPRA) - 2006 Outstanding Facility & Parks Award

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“Extraordinary Aquatics”  :  Illinois Valley YMCA "Best in Midwest"  

The Illinois Valley YMCA has ben recognized for its new indoor aquatics addition.. The Rehab Insider, fetured this new aquatics facility as its cover story entitled “Extraordinary Aquatics.” "I wouldn't just say this is the best therapy pool in Illinois," says CEO David Potthoff. "This very well could be the best therapy pool in the entire Midwest." The Illinois Valley YMCA was voted a 2007 Honoree for Excellence in Facilities by the YMCA of the USA. It was published in the 2007 Best of Aquatics Aquatics International Nov/Dec issue.

With its growing membership now more than 9,000, the Illinois Valley YMCA recognized the need for aquatics to complement its existing services and better serve the community.   The Illinois Valley YMCA commissioned Cordogan Clark and Associates to design the new indoor Aquatic and Wellness Center for the Illinois Valley YMCA and its partner, the Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru, Illinois. This $12  million, 62,000 square foot addition to the existing 45,000 S.F. YMCA facility  includes an indoor aquatics area containing recreational and leisure elements ;   a zero depth pool ;  a water-slide and plunge pool ;  a 25- yard  competition lap pool ;  and a state - of  - the - art therapeutic pool. Additional  improvements  included  new  physical rehabilitation facilities;  exam rooms ;  administrative offices ;  locker rooms ;  and increased site parking.  

“These new Y facilities promote aquatics in a unique architectural setting "   said Michael J. Konopka, CCA managing principal.  “Aquatics are now featured at the entrance: so patrons can now experience the excitement of water activities immediately." 

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Greenman Elementary School Wins Multiple Design Awards

Cordogan, Clark & Associates and Architecture for Education teamed as creative collaborators with the West Aurora School District for their new Greenman Elementary School. Greenman is a new replacement school for an existing 107-year old building that could no longer support growing enrollments, new technological advances, and today's teaching curriculums. The design team was able to overcome the tight urban site and more than double the size of the old school, allowing it to remain an anchor in the neighborhood. "Even though we're twice as big, we wanted to maintain that small-community environment" said Principal Erin Slater.

Critical to the design of the school was supporting both social interaction and personal development. From corridors lined with niches and custom cubbies for informal interaction, window seating areas in each classroom to shared project/resource areas and to a built-in seating amphitheater in the library, the architecture supports the District's mission of flexible learning curriculums and student interaction.

Greenman Elementary was selected as Grand Prize Winner by the National Association School Boards' 2006 Exhibition of School Architecture."The jury found this project exemplary on all levels. The architecture enriches the learning environment, enhances the education program, and complements, without mimicry, the urban/residential fabric of the neighborhood. It also provides a strong connection to the community through several outreach partnerships. Highlights of the flexible learning environment include small clusters of classrooms connected to outdoor learning rooms and technology centers, multiple use hallways, nooks and niches, all of which give clear clues as to how the spaces can be used."

The "school within a school" design concept embraces both personalized instruction and team teaching. Each classroom cluster is a small learning community of 4 classrooms, 2 technology/resource areas, and a flexible learning corridor. Each cluster may accommodate individualized rooms or various larger spaces for team teaching. Within each classroom there are bay windows with seating, shared restrooms and "learning Walls": custom, flexible and adaptable millwork that can conform to each teacher and students' needs. The resource room and corridor serve as project areas for hands-on, individual and group learning. Each 4-room classroom cluster is identified by its own color scheme, student created murals, and assigned grade level.

In addition, the school boasts an active performing arts program and essentially, this new K-5 school finds unique ways for performing arts to flourish. On the inside, the windowed music and arts rooms and the performance center come together in the school lobby. The multi-functional stage is two sided, offering a formal set up for larget assemblies to the gymnasium side and an informal stage to the lobby where the grand extra wide stairs leading to the second floor doubles as amphitheater seating. On the outside, a playful window arrangement of colored glass creates an expression of music, rhythm and harmony. But the window arrangements are not random - they're he musical notes to one of Bach's symphonies. "Small details like that have captivated the student. Kids were bumping into each other while they stare at their new surroundings" said Slater. The building design provides visual and tactile experiences that stimulate the mind and facilitate learning. In response to the performing arts theme of the school, stairs, balconies, and a 2-sided stage become places for viewing and performing. The NASB jury felt this school is stylistically sophisticated and could be an asset in most any community. "The scale, materials, and details, both inside and out, are well thought out and executed. This is a school that will delight and energize both the young students and the adults who spend time there. As a center of the community, it is what all school projects should strive for."

Greenman Elementary School has received multiple design awards and an unusual amount of recognition. In addition to the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) 2006 Award of Distinction for Excellence in the Design of Educational Evnironments, it was also the National School Board Association (NSBA) - 2006 Exhibition of School Architecture Grand Prize Winner. it was featured in School Planing Management - 2006 Education Design Showcase for which it received an Honorable Mention for 'Outstanding Architecture & Design in Education'. It received the Impact on Learning Awards Program - 2005 'Effective Classroom Design' Award (published); the School Construction News - 2005 Design Share Merit Award (published); it was the Learning By Design - 2005 National Grand Prize Winner (published); the Knowledge Works Foundation - 2005 National Search for Excellence - Finalist; an AIAIC (Inland California Chapter) Design Awards - 2005 Merit Award; and was an American School & University - 2004 'Work In Progress' Citation Award Winner. Cordogan Clark & Associates was the Architect of Record for this project; and was teamed with Architecture for Education for its design.

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Main Street Station Condominiums

Our design for Main Street Station Condominiums, a transportation oriented development, is now entering construction.  The following is from the marketing literature for this project:

Evanston is a popular choice for many developers. The vibrant city enjoys a beautiful location on Lake Michigan. Downtown Chicago is just a short commute, making the neighborhood popular for young professionals and families looking for their first condo.

Main Street Station is one of the newest suburban Chicago luxury condo developments underway in downtown Evanston. Cordogan, Clark & Associates is the architect for this project; the developer, Bernard Katz and Associates, has been in business in the Chicago area for over 50 years. Main Street Station offers a variety of floor plans. Residents can choose from one bedroom, one bedroom plus den, two bedroom, and two bedroom plus den floor plans. One bedroom condominium units offer a total of approximately 950 square feet to as much as 1,095 square feet of living space. The largest units are the 1600 square foot two-bedroom condominiums. Amenities at Main Street Station include hardwood floors throughout the main areas of the unit, brand name appliances, and granite countertops.

Residents will be able to enjoy the modern fitness center and community room.  One of the main draws for the Main Street Station is its convenient location just across the street from both Metra trains and the purple line of the El.  Commuters will love the easy access to downtown Chicago and other parts of the city. Residents will be able to enjoy the small town atmosphere of Evanston while being just minutes from the heart of the city. The development is close to many of the best restaurants and nightlife in Evanston.

Lake Michigan is just a few blocks away. Enjoy an early morning walk or take a bike ride at Clark Square Park. There are several popular beaches for sunbathing during the summer up and down the shore.

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WUXI TRANSPORTATION CENTER
Wuxi, China

Wuxi is located in what has long been one of China's most densely populated, intensively cultivated, and highly cultured regions. Crowned with the name of "Little Shanghai," Wuxi is one of the origins of Chinese national industry. Wuxi 's per capita GNP is higher than Shanghai 's. Open reform in China has witnessed its dramatic economic development and is making the city an economic star in China 's eastern coastal area.

Cordogan, Clark & Associates accepted the challenge of developing a conceptual master plan and urban design for a new district in Wuxi 's core areas, which is located near Lake Taihu . The ten city block, 27 million square foot master plan prepared by Cordogan Clark & Associates features state-of-the-art sustainable high-rise hotel, retail, and residential buildings in a newly designed urban park featuring open space corridors, landscaping, and new riverwalk development.

The Wuxi Transportation Center creates a prototypical modern "compact city". In it, all amenities needed for normal urban life are either located nearby, or are accessible by nearby public transportation.

The creation of the modern compact urban nucleus demands the rejection of single function development and the dominance of the car. The compact city grows around centers of social and commercial activity located at public transportation nodes. These provide focal points around which neighborhoods develop. At Wuxi Transportation Center , work, shopping, and living activities are brought within close proximity to each other. Mass transit systems provide cross-town transportation options without requiring automotive use.

In summary, key points for the design of the Wuxi Transportation Master Plan are:

• Proximity of commercial, residential, and retail options to public transportation
• Increased roadway options for bus and automobile traffic
• Simplified access to alternate modes of transportation
• Reduced walking distances to train, metro, and bus
• Separation of pedestrian from automotive traffic
• Provision for bicycles
• Decreased site density / increased landscaping
• Redevelopment of the riverfront as a public amenity accessible to all
• Incorporation of water elements and fountains throughout the development
• Separation of buildings to optimize sun and natural ventilation
• Unified and distinctive design of architecture
• Design of iconic and gateway buildings to highlight the Center as a special place
• Design of landmark Hotel and Commercial buildings at center area of site
• Use of sustainable technology to support the new architecture

The overall design of the Wuxi Transportation Center creates a cohesive and clearly defined urban setting that enhances its position in the surrounding urban fabric, addressing the region as a whole. From the moment a person enters the transportation plaza, whether resident or tourist, he feels he is in a special place. Wuxi Transportation Center is at once a memorable urban gateway and a practical urban design solution. It combines efficient and operational design with an aesthetic vision and innovative building technologies. The new design celebrates progress and achievement as it gives the Transportation Center a timeless, enduring quality.

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Master Plan for Wuxi, China, Aims to Create an Urban Nucleus

by Russell Boniface
Associate Editor

July 27th, 2007
AIA Architect

Wuxi, which sits along China's eastern coast, originally was a mining town. It later became an arts and cultural center, and currently has a revitalized economy—one of the best in China—through two industrial parks focusing on textiles. Wuxi also serves as a central transportation hub in the region.

A modern "compact city" within a park
The Wuxi Transportation Center concept prepared by Cordogan, Clark & Associates would sit within the city limits. The 10-city-block, 27-million-square-foot plan would feature hotel, retail, and residential buildings in an urban park. Decreased site density would provide open green space and a river walk development, while curved buildings would flank the development as enormous gateways. To preserve Chinese architectural forms, John Clark and his team incorporated traditional colors of red, gold, and yellow with the philosophical concept of yin-yang and the ancient practice of feng shui—the arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment.

“We wanted to synthesize Western and Chinese architecture,” explains Clark. With buildings, amenities, and recreation area close to each other, and access to public transportation simplified, the need for cars is reduced. Although there would be an elevated highway running parallel to the trains, it wouldn’t conflict with at-grade traffic and activity. “The plan is an environmentally responsible solution,” says Clark. “We wanted to discourage cars because China is being hit by private car ownership and experiencing the consequences. Here, you can live, work, and recreate all in the same area, without a car, and go from there to other parts of Wuxi or China.”

Shaping spaces; traditional Chinese colors
Clark says the two unusual aspects of the project were designing the buildings to shape public spaces and the extensive use of color to underscore Chinese tradition. “These 10 city blocks are an oasis,” he says. “We wanted to signal these blocks as special. The curved buildings flanking the east and west ends of the development create granite walls that open up, forming enormous gateways to enclose the area within and separate it from the rest of the city. You can see around the buildings, but they embrace the development. Beyond that, there’s the overriding Feng Shui design and sustainable architecture. The individual buildings are very expressive of their function. Plants and landscaping open everything up so the development can breathe more.”

With the Wuxi Transportation Commercial Center and hotel towers crowning the development at its midpoint, buildings of varying heights join to form streets and squares. Clark combined the buildings’ form and function with rich colors. “We were consistent with red, gold, and yellow, the traditional colors of the communist party. These are warmer colors, and if they get polluted they don’t get dirty but instead look richer, and the gold and red deepen. The yellow and the gold play with the traditional Yin-Yang color of green that we also incorporated, and the colors also interact with different Chinese characters. There really is a dialogue.”

The design also incorporates tensile fabrics in the landscape that illuminate at night with traditional internally illuminated lanterns. “There’s a delicacy with traditional Chinese architecture,” explains Clark. “Our design is about reviving those forms and taking them a step further into the future.”

Wuxi would include sustainable design
Sustainability would begin once you enter Wuxi. The bus station’s zig-zag-shaped roof has giant, diamond-shaped louvers with faceted solar collectors that face south for optimal sun exposure. The train terminal also has solar collectors. Residences also face south, with rooftop wind turbines and large plenums clad with photovoltaic solar cells. “The heat from the cells will create a thermal draft up through the building, taking air from the common areas and naturally cooling the building.” says Clark. “We’re also using the existing river as a heat sink, and incorporating geothermal energy techniques.” Varying building heights bring maximum daylight onto streets, squares, and into buildings, and allow winds to cool and freshen air.

Fantasy or reality?
Clark admits the Wuxi plan is a large vision. “Drawing it up it was a fantasy,” he reflects. “We were having fun with it by allowing different influences to affect the architecture.”

But today Clark is hesitant to refer to Wuxi as fantasy. “I’m hoping it moves forward,” he enthuses. “We’ve had positive feedback from the people in control of the project, and next month I’m going there to meet with them about potential development. We’re also looking at taking these ideas and applying them elsewhere in the same region. It’s exciting trying to create a new form of architecture for China.”

Clark notes that development in China is currently being done on grand scales that generally don’t exist in the U.S. “There are huge projects in China, and they’re so wild. Wuxi would be applicable to the United States in the sense that the buildings are interesting and have sustainable design that adds expression. But Wuxi would be fantasy here, whereas in China it’s more likely to become a completed reality.”