CP&Associates was selected by the City of Lawrence and Parks & Recreation Department to design an addition to the existing East Lawrence Recreation Center and remodel the existing building. Working closely with a Building Committee composed of Parks & Recreation staff, neighborhood and community members, CP&A prepared multiple design schemes for a 12,000 SF building addition, a 6,000 SF remodel of the existing building and related site development including expanded parking. The process also included two public hearings to solicit community input before a final design was approved by the Building Committee.

The photograph above shows the new south-facing main entrance, the existing brick building on the right with new windows into a community meeting room, and the new full-size gymnasium on the left. Exterior building materials were selected based on a cost/benefit analysis, low maintenance and durability. Bright colors in glazed block were added around the entrance to impart a sense of “fun” and to respond to the many young users of the facility.

The generous entry plaza and roof canopy welcomes visitors and provides a gathering space as people come and go, wait for rides and enjoy the outdoors. In the left and right foreground, sculptural mosaic tile-covered concrete benches were installed as part of the City’s Percent for Art Program that applies to each new public building project. CP&A staff served on the committee to solicit, review and select artists’ proposals, which resulted in three (3) art installations being chosen for the ELRC. The other two art proposals were installed on the interior.