Client // Chicago Park District
Location // Chicago, Illinois
Date // Fall 2006
Project Team // Seth Ellsworth, Prof. T.J. McLeish
Materials // Prefabricated steel structure
Designed for the Taylor-Lauredson Park of the Chicago Park District, this field house is a study in steel and glass. A geometric steel structure allows for prefabrication and efficiency of materials, and transparency for occupant safety and public enjoyment. The large glass walls are modular, saving money and allowing for easier replacement of windows. Silk-screened images are applied to the four elevations of the building depicting scenes from each season. The spaces are arranged increasingly in height and volume, with a continuous grass roof, allowing the public to use otherwise inaccessible space. An array of solar panels above the gym provide electricity to power the field house and the park lighting.