Design Matters
Design Matters explores how thoughtful design enhances daily life. Featuring Eleanor Gorski and John Ronan.
The Chicago Park District was founded in 1934 to consolidate 22 separate park districts across the city. One of the nation’s largest municipal park managers, the Chicago Park District is responsible for an extensive network of more than 600 parks, playgrounds, and green spaces, covering more than 8,800 acres throughout the city.
modern aesthetics with a commitment to sustainability
After 20 years in a downtown office, the Chicago Park District officially opened their new administrative headquarters and fieldhouse in June of 2023 in Brighton Park, a southwest side neighborhood that has long been park-deprived. The new building blends modern aesthetics with a commitment to sustainability. The exterior features a harmonious combination of glass, steel, and natural elements including reclaimed Chicago brick, to visually connect the building to the city’s historic fieldhouses. Aluminum screens shield occupants from direct sunlight and increase overall energy efficiency while the windows employ a patterned ceramic frit to lessen the chance of bird collisions. The building’s unique green roof, adorned with native plants and vegetation adds beauty and creates a natural habitat for birds and pollinators while contributing to energy efficiency.
Inside, the building's design focuses on fostering a sense of unity and collaboration. The open- concept layout and pair of interior courtyards encourage interaction and cooperation among employees, while the incorporation of recreational spaces and public gathering areas promotes community engagement and well-being.
In addition to office space for 200 Park District employees, the 17-acre site offers a plethora of areas for community use including a playground, outdoor turf fields, splash pad, indoor basketball courts, fitness center, multi-purpose room and event center. The site itself presented a prime opportunity to remediate an industrial brownfield as new green space. Also, with its easy access to buses and the Western Orange Line station, its transit connections were a major selling point. Community input was vital to the design and minimal impact on the environment was of utmost importance.
With its commitment to green spaces, community unity, and sustainable design, the new Chicago Park District Headquarters is a celebration of the city's rich park heritage and forward-looking environmentalism.
