Vibrant student recreation centers have been mainstays of contemporary college campuses. So have health-conscious students. To take full advantage of these trends, many institutions are merging their recreation center
and student health center into a single facility. Call it a one-stop campus shop for enhanced student wellness.

Merged departments benefit from cross-programming opportunities and synergies inherent to cohabitation. Student recreation, which typically aids campus recruiting, retention and overall quality of life, also provides students with the opportunity to form lifelong healthy living habits. Student health deals primarily in curative healthcare, often including psychological, social and emotional counseling as program offerings. Direct association between the two
entitles affords the opportunity to reach the campus population in a wellness mode - before curative medicine is necessary.

This mirrors a similar and growing dynamic in community-based healthcare and wellness facilities. In 2003, Healthcare Design noted that wellness center trends in the community marketplace "are general health-consciousness movements, along with reimbursement-driven incentives, to keep people healthy." These wellness centers typically provide the additional resources and motivational assistance necessary to help individuals reach health and wellness goals. The same can now be said of an increasing number of campus recreation centers, starting with their core programs in recreation and health.

With exercise, information and education, people increase their chances to lead healthier and more independent lifestyles.

What is wellness? It is a state of optimal well-being oriented towards maximizing an individual's potential. Specifically, it involves a lifelong process of achieving well-being in at least six commonly identified dimensions; physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental. Many promote this as a lifestyle requiring personal responsibility and a willingness to make ongoing healthy choices. The World Health Organization (way back in 1948) defined this lifestyle (then called health) as "...a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

Wellness is a holistic approach to health maintenance and improvement, as opposed to waiting for people to become sick and then treating their sickness. The concept is simple, according to Healthcare Design; "With exercise, information and education, people increase their chances to lead healthier and more independent lifestyles."

Integrative medicine - a growing field of medicine in which patients and providers work together to develop a diagnostic and therapeutic program, drawing on a variety of traditions, expertise and modalities - also plays a part in the pursuit of wellness. According to WebMD, IM "depends on a partnership between the patient and the doctor, where the goal is to treat the mind, body and spirit, all at the same time."

This multidisciplinary approach and broader treatment options dovetail perfectly with the services provided by campus recreation professionals, who can leverage their specialized knowledge and resources to provide maximum therapeutic value for students. For campus healthcare providers, a merger provides staff and patients with immediate access to athletic or intramural activity spaces, larger physical therapy facilities and significantly larger fitness and wirght rooms, thus reinforcing their programs and the benefits of lifelong activity and exercise. Thisis in keeping with the "Standards of Practice for Health Promotion in Higher Education," released in 2004 by the American College Health Association.

Moreover, college recreation programs often are intertwined with a variety of academic pursuits — everything from athletic training to biomechanics research to exercise physiology — that also offer opportunities for synergy. Forward-thinking recreation and health program providers find ongoing opportunities for connection to the campus population, expanding their reach in beneficial ways. These programs range from professional information-oriented fairs to facilitated education classes, and from simple but informative wall displays to outpatient medical testing. Relevant partnerships can also take the form of onsite pharmacies, massage studios, and retail space offering fitness products and therapeutic goods.

Perhaps the most intriguing application of these kinds of shared services is currently in design on the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, where the objective is to establish a synergistic relationship between existing programs in human nutrition, integrative medicine and women's health research while enhancing student fitness, health, research and lifestyle management. Supporting these specific disciplines and goals will be outreach and education spaces, a demonstration kitchen, a healthful food café/bistro, a fitness center, a therapeutic pool and a healthful food market — all complemented by a 10-room, short-stay hospitality venue.

Functionally, student health centers make for good roommates. On many campuses, these densely packed medical facilities function efficiently within 4,000 square feet (depending on the number of practitioners and the overall service population) — less space than is consumed by a small gymnasium, or just five racquetball courts.

Minimal program requirements dictate that space be allocated for universal-size exam rooms, a treatment room, a nurses station, a phlebotomy area, an immunization cubicle, a small patient laboratory, secure medicine storage, clean/dirty linen storage, restrooms, offices for medical professionals, a records management room, a billing and administration processing area, and a patient waiting area. Recreation spaces that student health practitioners can share typically include an entry foyer/lobby, a large interior rotunda/centrum, classrooms, group exercise rooms, weight training and cardio fitness rooms, and smaller gymnasiums. All of these spaces can support diverse programming needs while considerably increasing the exposure of the student health operation.

Issues of functional space design within the actual health center are critical. First, there are the medically driven health code requirements to keep dirty resources from contaminating clean ones. Second, medical practitioners often use a second entrance for uninterrupted access for health professionals to and from the student health center. (Sick, contagious or critically injured individuals may also need a way in and out of the facility without using the front door, particularly if traveling by gurney.) Third, medical facilities have unique planning considerations related to patient security, auditory separation and critical workflow. Institutions need to consult with individuals who understand these challenges early in the design process.

Whether designing from scratch or moving student health into an existing recreation facility, the institution should seek a design solution that promotes each department and its brand. Then, with properly planned space adjacencies, the programs can comingle to whatever level desired. The importance of getting this right from the start cannot be overstated, since it is next to impossible to overcome poor location or unacceptable space relationships.

A well-conceived merger design ensures visual connections. Upon entering the building, recreation patrons should have views to three or more primary activity venues as a means to entice participation. This concept also applies to the health center, so that in its given location (whether in the free zone or behind the control desk) patrons know it exists. Placement along one of the primary interior view corridors is a recommended means to this end.

"Right now, we shuttle people back and forth to student health, across campus," says University of Nebraska at Omaha director of student health Marcia Adler, whose health center operations are being incorporated into a campus recreation center renovation and expansion that's currently under construction. "In our new facility, we will be right on deck. I can't wait to be there; it is totally the right place to be. Proximity provides access and peer awareness. Health is part of daily practices, and being in the middle [of this facility] puts health front and center."

That said, all design decisions require prudence. As stated earlier, healthcare facilities have more mission-critical operations affecting personal privacy than do recreation facilities, and that fact should influence building design. While high visibility can increase attention, it doesn't necessarily mean that student health should be located right inside the recreation center's front door. The "see and be seen" mentality when working out doesn't translate to walking into a counseling session or receiving outpatient treatment for flu. In reality, the vast majority of students show up for sore throats and routine exams, but with proper planning of the facility, its entry sequence and traffic flow, the sensitivities of health center patrons can be well accommodated.

Within the recreation center, cross-training sessions are easily enhanced when student healthcare and wellness education is incorporated. Consider the potential benefits of facilitated workouts and group exercise classes when they offer a clear focus on proper technique while providing health information from medical personnel. This holds the potential to improve not only student education, but also participation, thanks to a more diverse programming menu.

In addition, there are many business intricacies to consider when combining student health and recreation under one roof. Like most commercial ventures, a solid business plan is essential. Attention must be paid not only to the suitable location of each tenant, but also related costs, departmental differences and overall space demands. Beyond the capital investment involved in building new or relocating existing student health operations, the issue of cost is minimal since few if any new operational hurdles will be encountered in a new location. Turf wars between the recreation and health departments are possible, but can be mitigated so long as the overarching focus remains on student well-being as it relates to maximum opportunity and success.

More institutions than ever are building student recreation centers that include a full slate of health services in an effort to maximize the student wellness experience and further improve overall quality of student life. Missouri Southern State University opened just such a facility last month. Darren Fullerton, director of student life and dean of students, says that combining resources allows MSSU to offer many programs that were previously unavailable. "We know that our combined staff in health and rec will be very good for the students," Fullerton says.

Further evidence of this mind-set emerged in the 2009 Athletic Business Architectural Showcase. Of 22 projects identified as collegiate student recreation facilities, five include significant student health centers (see "Showcased," below). This is more than a flash in the pan; it may soon represent the norm as to how student recreation and health services are packaged.

Merging departments and people of like mind brings great value to the already highly regarded collegiate student recreation center. As the American College Health Association summarized in its "Healthy Campus 2010" initiative, "Advancing the health of college students influences the quality and productivity of their lives in the workplace and in the community." If planned properly, recreation and health mergers enrich the campus fabric and society as a whole — a healthy relationship, indeed.

This award program now in its 29th year, recognizes architects, consultants, facility owners and managers for their efforts planning, financing, designing and operating athletic recreation and wellness facilities that set high standards for design and functionality. The Heavener Complex was chosen from a field of 97 select projects which have been built across the country. This award was juried by a distinguished panel of 7 judges specializing in sports facility design. Awarded projects demonstrated sound design principals in the areas of transparency, organization, detailing, sustainability, functionality, and appropriateness to their surrounds. The Heavener Complex achieved high marks in all categories.

Designed by Des Moines-based RDG Planning & Design, the Heavener Football Complex, houses the football program's expanded strength and conditioning room, locker facilities, video editing suite, nutrition room, coaches and administration offices, and an expanded Gator Room and Hall of Champions. RDG designed the Football Complex to fit within the context of the existing stadium, yet stand out as a dynamic front door, creating a "wow" first impression that amplifies the strength of this nationally-renowned program. This structure receives high marks for its sustainable design and practices, noted as the first facility within the State of Florida to receive a LEED Platinum Certificate from the USGBS.

More info at: http://www.athleticbusiness.com/galleries/project.aspx?id=282

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TOP HONOR AWARD - EXTENDED USE
Sandhills Center at the Knight Museum
Owner: Bob Knight, Photographer: Tom Kessler
Jury Comments: The existing building is redefined and the expansion is seamlessly engaged, creating a completely new visitor experience. The minimal surface treatments, the modest presentation of materials, and the wash of daylight work together to create a rich embrace.

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CITATION AWARD - NEW CONSTRUCTION
First National Bank at Metro Crossing
Owner(s): First National Bank, Photographer: Tom Kessler
Jury Comments: A bank on a commercial strip starts with a big idea that both organizes the plan and sets the material tone of the project. The over-scale glass fin slices through the building mass, and then reappears within to set the palette for interior spaces.

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MERIT AWARD - DETAILS
First National Bank at Metro Crossing
Owner(s): First National Bank, Photographer: Tom Kessler
Jury Comments: The internally lit glass cavity wall glows, making a strong external beacon, while also informing the interiors with its transparency and color. The translucent images of local prairie grasses and flowers contrast nicely with the simple masses of the main building.

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HONOR AWARD - NEW CONSTRUCTION
Union Pacific Childcare
Owner(s): Union Pacific, Photographer: Farshid Assassi
Jury Comments: A barrel roof defines the simple scale of the overall childcare facility, while the eccentrically placed interior volume allows the creation of kids' activity spaces along the circulation. The mural of the Union Pacific employees links children and their families in this train station allusion.

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CITATION AWARD - EXTENDED USE
Child Saving Institute
Owner(s): Child Saving Institute, Photographer: Tom Kessler
Jury Comments: Spectacular makeover of a relatively solid box into an uplifting day-lit facility for the caring of children.

RDG Planning & Design offers professional services in architecture, landscape architecture, interior and lighting design, strategic planning, urban and comprehensive planning, and graphic design. RDG and its predecessor companies have been serving clients since 1965. The firm currently has active projects in more than 25 states.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification is based on a structure’s site/location planning, energy use, water management, materials used, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in the design process. The Heavener Complex earned the required 52 out of 69 points possible to receive a platinum rating. This is a milestone moment for RDG Planning & Design, who provided not only Architecture, but Landscape Architecture, Interior Design and Lighting Design Services.

Al Oberlander, Project Principal, reports that the University of Florida’s Project Manager, Bahar Armaghani was key to this success. “Without Bahar’s enthusiasm and energy, everyone might have settled for Silver. She made it happen. She looked at every possibility and pushed everyone to Platinum. They (Florida) are very excited.” The $28 million complex includes offices, conferences rooms, locker and exhibit space in support of the Gators football program. The facility’s energy-saving features exceed state and national standards requirements by 35 percent and include low-e glazing on glass, insulation and reflective materials which make the heating and air conditioning systems more efficient.

“One thing about the University of Florida is when they do something, they do it right,” Head Coach Urban Meyer acknowledged when Heavener opened its doors in August of 2008. “This is the way it should be. This should be the best and classiest facility in college football.”

view more information here --> http://www.facilities.ufl.edu/sustain/certified.htm

The NJRPA Awards Program recognizes the State’s outstanding Recreation and Parks projects plus honors dedicated leaders, professionals, employees, and volunteers. The goal of the Awards Program is to focus State attention on the achievements of Park and Recreation agencies, exemplary facilities, as well as recognize the continuing efforts of staff, volunteers, and member agencies. The Excellence in Design program divides facilities into four population categories and awards one facility in each population class. The Recreation Center received an award as a Special Unique Project due to the large and diverse population that it serves as a regional University facility. Ms. Eaker-Kelly also noted that the facility is the first college or university project to receive an NJRPA award.

Student Recreation Center: Designed by RDG, the Montclair State University Recreation Center encloses 78,000 square feet of space dedicated to the pursuit of health and fitness for the expanding MSU student population. This new Recreation Center is part of MSU’s strategic plan which identified student health and recreation as an essential component of the anticipated growth in the scope and quality of the University's programs. The facility offers recreational multipurpose court space, elevated jogging/walking track, racquetball courts, a natatorium, 10,000 SF of dedicated fitness space, multi-purpose activity spaces, juice bar, and a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline seen from the second floor workout areas and track.

For information on the facility http://www.montclair.edu/campusrec/

Widely acclaimed for his career in public art, David Dahlquist has been awarded and has successfully completed more than 30 large-scale public art commissions since 1988. These include ten major site commissions for the Iowa Department of Transportation. One of his most ambitious projects is the R&R Realty Paragon Prairie Tower in Urbandale, Iowa. The tower, 16 feet in diameter and more than 100 feet tall, is a state-of-the-art Italian glass mosaic with terra cotta and lighting that depicts Iowa wild flowers. This project received the Spectrum International Award of Merit in 2008 and is currently the largest Italian glass mosaic mural in the U.S. This was a multi-disciplinary project in conjunction with the architects and lighting designers of RDG Planning & Design. David Dahlquist merged his studio with RDG, a nationally recognized multi-disciplinary design firm in 2004. He now leads RDG Dahlquist Art Studio, a hands-on design and fabrication facility with a staff of 10 artists, integrated within the 108-staffed Iowa firm. Dahlquist’s artwork also is represented in more than 50 corporate, public and private collections.

In addition to recognizing Dahlquist’s contributions to public art, the Alumni Award honors his career-long support of developing artists through university and community initiatives. In the late 1980s, he transformed a struggling ceramics program at the Iowa State University College of Design into one of the most active and innovative undergraduate ceramic curriculums in the state. Later, he worked with a consortium of Central Iowa colleges and universities to develop a satellite ceramics studio and workshops in public art.

He was the co-chair appointed by the mayor that established the first public art program in Des Moines. His commitment to arts outreach is exemplary; he has provided more than 60 workshops and presentations to schools, colleges and universities nationwide.

“David Dahlquist has done magnificent work since graduating from Wisconsin. It is most appropriate to honor him as one of our outstanding alumni,” says Elaine Scheer, chair of the UW-Madison Department of Art.

Dahlquist received a B.S. in Art with Honors in 1980 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. One of eight departments in the UW School of Education, the Department of Art is noted for its breadth of media, offering more than a dozen programs that range from printmaking and painting to sculpture and ceramics. Under the direction of Harvey Littleton in the 1960s, the department pioneered the first formal glassworking courses.

Dahlquist will be presented with the School of Education Alumni Achievement Award at a special luncheon in his honor on May 6, 2009, at the Grand Opening of the Art Lofts building on the UW-Madison campus.

“RDG Planning & Design’s leaders and staff have demonstrated decades of great commitment and contributions to the State of Iowa and the world for its mission of humanity and life-savings” announces Swallow Yan. Over the years RDG has helped sponsor the Iowa Chinese New Year Celebration and Poster Contest, Asian Heritage Festivals and Iowa Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. RDG’s president, Davis Sanders was on hand to receive the award. Mr. Sanders has over 25 years of architectural and community service, and believes strongly in supporting employees to volunteer in their communities and cultural development programs. “At RDG we truly believe in working to live, rather than living to work. As a firm, we are strongest when our employees are fulfilled, and our community grows in a healthy and diverse manner. We believe these two factors go hand-in-hand” states Mr. Sanders.

Several years ago, the city was able to secure an option to purchase 200 acres of land located west of the existing city corporate limits—but within the future annexation plan boundaries—for a regional outdoor recreation park. The city is currently acquiring this land in 40-acre parcels for the future Copeland Recreation Complex, and ill own the entire 200 acres by spring 2009.

In June 2007, the city retained the services of RDG Planning & Design, a national multi-disciplinary design firm
specializing in park, recreation, sports and athletic facilities design, to facilitate a public, stakeholder and user-group input process to identify the current and future recreation needs of the community, to determine the potential market for a regional outdoor recreation complex, and to develop a comprehensive program and master plan for the complex.

Guiding The Process
RDG began working closely with the directors of parks and recreation, public works and other city representatives to recommend individuals to serve on a steering committee. Several critical elements were considered to ensure individuals from recreation and sport clubs, associations, leagues and organizations within the community as well as a diverse group of park-, trail- and open-space users were represented. The primary role and responsibility of the committee was to provide an organized structure for decision-making.

In the end, the steering committee included representatives from the Walnut Creek Little League,Waukee Competitive Youth Baseball Organization, Vision Soccer Academy of Waukee,Waukee Youth Football Organization,Waukee Athletic Club Softball, Get Waukee Youth Recreation Development, a communitybased effort to encourage planning and implementation of future recreation facilities,Waukee Parks and Recreation Board,Waukee City Council and city staff.

Following the appointment of the committee, the design team launched a project Web site to provide the public access to meeting agendas and summaries, schedules, the facility program, concept alternatives, preliminary master plans and other related information. This tool became a valuable communication conduit, as committee members, residents and other interested individuals were unable to attend some of the workshops or public presentations.

Creating The Vision
During the initial project workshops, the following goals and expectations were established for the Copeland recreation Complex:
• Create a community sense of place and identity
• Fulfill the community’s recreation needs and promote regional user appeal
• Provide a diverse range of multigenerational recreation opportunities
• Integrate appropriate naturalresource stewardship, best-management practices and long-term, sustainable design solutions
• Develop a facility that is a destination for regional users
• Develop a facility to serve as a catalyst for adjacent development
• Offer year-round recreation opportunities
• Design safe and accessible facilities
• Design multi-purpose facilities
• Design superior-quality recreation amenities.

Listening To The Community
The design team facilitated several public-input meetings and conducted interviews with individuals of each specific user group to understand each organization’s operational and financial structure and future participation levels. The meetings were well-attended by citizens of Waukee, residents from adjacent communities and representatives from various sports organizations. The information from these sessions was analyzed, summarized, and presented to the steering committee. Through an evaluation process guided by a list of programming criteria, the design team recommended a preliminary program for the complex.

Developing Alternatives
After establishing the preliminary program, the design team developed several conceptual alternatives that incorporated some or all of the identified elements. The team and steering committee met to further refine these alternatives. Some of the elements included an outdoor performance pavilion, disc-golf course, splash-pad water feature, lakeside terrace, miniature-golf course and a multi-purpose stadium. These ideas were incorporated into the final program for the complex.
Final program elements include:
(4) Baseball fields—R200'
(4) Baseball fields—R300'
(4) Baseball fields—R400'
(4) Softball fields—R200'
(6) Softball fields—R300'
(6) U6 Soccer fields—75' x 120'
(8) U8 Soccer fields—90' x 135'
(5) U10 Soccer fields—120' x 180'
(5) U12 Soccer fields—150' x 300'
(4) U10 Soccer fields—210' x 360'
(4) Football fields—180' x 360'
(1) Rugby/Lacrosse field—180' x 330'
(1) Cricket field—180' x 250'
Sports field irrigation, subsurface drainage and field lighting
(4) Sand Volleyball courts
Disc-golf course
Miniature-golf course
(3) Concessions/Restroom facilities
(2) Satellite Restroom facilities
7,500-seat Spectator Stadium venue
Maintenance/Storage facility
(6) Outdoor shelters and plazas
(4) Playgrounds
Outdoor Performance Pavilion
(12) Monument Entrance signs
8-mile Park Trail network; fully ADA-compliant
(10) Trail Rest Stations
Park Trail and Wayfinding signage
Interpretive and educational signage
Multi-purpose open space
18-acre naturalized lake
ADA-compliant Lakeside Terrace
Bioretention cells, rain gardens and bioswales
Reconstructed wetland areas
Reconstructed Native Prairie areas
(1,795) concrete pavement parking spaces
(550) reinforced turf parking spaces

Creating A Strategy
Once a preliminary master plan was established, the design team proposed probable construction costs and an operating budget. Realizing the magnitude of a 200-acre sports complex and the need to construct it in phases, the team developed a priority of recreation needs for the community based on the quality, quantity and convenience of these existing facilities. The implementation strategy identifies the complex to be constructed in five phases. Through an established strategicphased approach, the city will construct the Copeland Recreation Complex to
meet the most urgent needs of the community,and ultimately provide a unique economic and development catalyst for the region. For more information on the complex, visit www.rdgusa.com/parks/waukee. PRB

Scott Crawford, ASLA, LEED AP, is a partner and landscape architect with RDG Planning & Design, which provides landscape architecture, architecture, interior design, lighting design, artistry, graphic design, strategic planning, urban design and comprehensive planning services. For more information, visit www.rdgusa.com.

Some of the design elements that help this $3 million dollar project achieve its green rating include:
• It restored farmland to native Iowa prairie which is a diverse ecosystem indigenous to Iowa.
• All storm water is processed through on site bioswales.
• The land provides the heating and cooling of the facility through a geothermal heat pump system, which has reduced the facilities energy consumption by almost 40%.
• The land processes waste water naturally through a wetlands septic system.
• Roof insulation is created from waste wheat contained within structural insulated panels.
• 85-90% of the building is daylit and ventilated or cooled with operable windows.
• All landscaping is native species that require no additional water beyond typical rainfall.

RDG is a distinctive group of extraordinary individuals with the shared purpose of making more of life through Purpose-Driven Design. The collaborative effort of RDG’s multi-disciplinary studios including; Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Lighting Design, Art, and Engineering resulted in a successful “Green” project. Our passion for sustainable design – carries through our design process . . . we practice what we preach.

Other notable sustainable “works” include:• Marion Arts and Environment Center at Lowe Park project, featured in the spring 2008 publication of Sustainable Facilities, Green Design, Construction and Operations – Author Keith Moskow, AIA.
• Marion Arts and Environment Center, featured in 2008 Jul/Aug Eco-Structures magazine http://eco-structure.com
• Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) project, design by RDG, published in the 2007 book Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture, and Planning – Author Daniel Williams
• Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) project, recognized as 2002 AIA / COTE Top Ten Green Projects
• Central College Student Housing project received LEED GOLD certification in 2006
• Central College Educational Psychology Building, currently under construction projected LEED Platinum.
• ISU College of Design Pavilion Addition, currently under construction projected LEED Gold/Platinum.
• University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center utilizing “green building practices”
• RDG was featured on Iowa Public Television – April 14, 2008: Sustainable Design work and the IAMU Facility; presented 2 workshops at Greening the Heartland in St. Louis; and presented the topic of “Sustainable Design and BIM” at this year’s National AIA Convention in Boston.

RDG Planning & Design is excited to announce making the list.

For complete listing see http://enr.construction.com/people/topLists/GreenDesign/topGreenDesign_1-50.asp

“The Market for sustainable design has passed a tipping point and is rapidly becoming main stream. ENR's top Green Design Firms bypasses "green-washing" hype to objectively measure the market based on standards and 2007 financial data. Cumulatively, the firms on this list generated $1.74 billion in revenue from green projects in 2007: $1.62 billion in the U.S., and $121.2 million abroad.”

RDG Planning & Design is a leader in sustainable design practices, the only Iowa firm on ENR’s Top 100 list, and one of the early founding members of US Green Building Council (USGBC). RDG is a unique multi-disciplinary design firm that is practicing an integrated sustainable design approach on all projects. Our team of multi-disciplinary LEED Accredited professionals infuses sustainability into how we design, how we do business and how we live and contribute in our communities. We have deliberately gathered a unique blend of knowledge and talent in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, hydrology, engineering, lighting design, interior design, community planning, and art. With this unique breadth of resources, we can more effectively solve problems with a restorative, sustainable approach.

April 10, 2008: RDG Planning & Design receives four design awards from the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) at the annual spring conference. RDG is recognized for their planning and landscape design work on the Pleasant Hill Youth Sports Complex, the Crosswinds Development in Ankeny, the Interstate-235 Master Aesthetic Plan, and Kramer Park in Bellevue, Nebraska. The Crosswinds project received an honor award in the Planning Category, the Pleasant Hill Youth Sports Complex picked up an honor award in the Design-Not Constructed Category, and I-235 Master Aesthetic Plan and Kramer Park each received Merit awards.

Representatives for RDG and the client representatives were recognized at the ASLA Awards Celebration and Lunch on April 10th, 2008, at the Iowa State Center, Scheman Building, in Ames Iowa. This program acknowledges excellence in Landscape Architectural planning and design by selecting those projects relevant to design quality, functionality and relationship to context, impact on public health, safety and welfare, and overall relevance to landscape architecture, the public and the environment.

RDG provided Master Planning and Design services for The Crosswinds development, a four hundred and seventy one acre conservation minded commercial development. This commercial development master plan is unique to Iowa because it calls for a low-impact, regional and local best management practice approach for both site and architectural elements. The site-based recommendations involve the creation of a Green Infrastructure network to collect, infiltrate and convey storm water that falls on the project site and its immediate surroundings.

RDG assisted the City of Pleasant Hill to develop a comprehensive program and master plan for a 70-acre youth sports complex to meet the future recreation needs of a growing community. The process of the master plan development included multiple public forums, stakeholder group meetings, league and organization input sessions, and steering committee review workshops. The master plan design of the project creates a youth sports complex in the context of a multigenerational, year round recreation area and incorporates several different storm water best management practices (BMP’s) to reduce rainwater runoff, enhance water quality, increase rainwater infiltration rates, improve groundwater recharge, provide wildlife habitat, and educate park users on the importance of natural resource stewardship through interpretive signage and exhibits.
Jury Comments: “… good combination of large restoration areas with prairie, and excellent storm water management.”

The Iowa Interstate 235 Master Aesthetic Plan developed a “plan” for improving the appearance of the entire Interstate Highway 235 corridor and enhancing the appeal and image of the Des Moines metropolitan area. RDG, teamed with local and national architects and engineers, served as the prime consultant for this comprehensive master plan for roadway and bridge improvements. The plan included design concepts for pedestrian and road bridges, right–of–way landscape plantings, lighting, sound barriers, signage support systems, and landscape maintenance. The concept is to create a memorable “linear parkway” to showcase the State of Iowa and focus on the State Capitol, Des Moines landmarks, and community neighborhoods. RDG helped develop a plan for redevelopment of a former electrical power plant into a signature riverside park for the citizens of Kramer Park, located in Bellevue, Nebraska.
Jury comments: “nice design . . . very respectful of the environment and context of site.”

April 23, 2008: RDG Planning & Design receives an award from the Central States Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for their involvement with one of Des Moines’ most visible projects. RDG is honored for their planning and landscape design work on the Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway Enhancements. This project received a Merit award in the Design (Built) category. Representatives for RDG were recognized at the ASLA Awards Celebration and Lunch on April 23th, 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri.

MLK Jr. Parkway’s enhancements celebrates this roadway as a pedestrian friendly, at-grade 6 lane parkway, addressing traffic and transportation needs while representing the community’s commitment to downtown pride, quality, and revitalization. The quality of design is found in the integration of simple, timeless materials organized at key pedestrian nodes and throughout the corridor establishing a parkway “rhythm”. Various aspects of the project incorporated efficiency and low maintenance considerations impacting the lighting and plant selections making this an environmentally responsible project. MLK Jr. Parkway improvements impact the community on a broad scope as more people regularly experience this parkway both at the pedestrian and vehicular level than other public place in the community

Early discussions of a new outdoor recreation complex amongst various leagues, organizations, and city government level representatives resulted in the City of Pleasant Hill purchasing approximately 103 acres of land on the eastern edge of the city corporate boundary. Prior to the land purchase, the City established an agreement with the Southeast Polk School District to sell 40 acres of this land for construction of a new high school to accommodate their increasing enrollment. The remaining 60 acres were identified as the site for the future Pleasant Hill Sports Complex. In May 2006, the City of Pleasant Hill retained the services of RDG Planning & Design, a national multi-disciplinary design firm specializing in recreation, sports, and athletic facilities design, to facilitate a public and user group input process, to help identify the community recreation needs, and to develop a comprehensive program and master plan for the complex.

Getting Input
RDG began working with City Staff to assemble a Steering Committee for the project. This Committee included representatives from the Pleasant Hill and Four Mile Little League organizations, the Pleasant Hill Soccer Club, the Southeast Polk School District, Little League International, the Pleasant Hill Park and Rec Commission, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council, and several public officials from nearby communities. The following core values and guiding principles set forth by the Committee provided a clear foundation for consistent decision making throughout the design process:
• Appropriate natural resource stewardship
• Community sense of place
• Multi-generational recreation opportunities
• Year-round recreation opportunities
• Safe and accessible facilities
• Multi-purpose facilities
• Quality facilities
RDG then interviews representatives from several select organizations and facilitated public forum input meetings to collect unbiased information from a cross section of individuals. These interviews and input meetings provided the design team with an understanding of the current recreation programs and facilities provided by the City, as well as insight to what and where deficiencies might exist. Additionally, these interviews and input meetings allowed the public an opportunity to voice opinions on the future facilities the City should most appropriately plan for as part of the new complex.

Working With The Environment
The existing conditions of the 60-acre site presented several challenges and opportunities to the design team. The former agricultural field is directly adjacent to Spring Creek and portions of the site are located within the 100-year flood plain and floodway, limiting the land area that could be developed along the west edge of the site. A large area of hickory, oak, maple, and cedar trees parallels Spring Creek on either bank. A decision was made early in the design process, based on the core value for appropriate natural resource management, to preserve the trees along the west edge of the site to the greatest extent possible. This provided a mature woodland buffer for the Complex, but limited the land available for development of recreation fields. The existing site also had approximately 60 feet of grade change from the high point adjacent to the new high school to the low point at Spring Creek, presenting a unique challenge as recreation fields require large land areas of relatively flat ground. The 60 feet of grade change was seen as an opportunity by the design team to develop the Complex into several terraces with sports fields on each terrace and hillside seating opportunities for spectators.

The Bigger Picture
In addition to the site’s environmental challenges an ongoing regional planning effort (which RDG is also assisting the City of Pleasant Hill) identifies the sports complex site within the context of a larger civic campus. A comprehensive traffic analysis of this area recommended a new east-west public road, Meacham Drive, through the Sports Complex site to accommodate increased traffic from the new high school, Sports Complex, and mixed use development proposed as part of the overall Civic Campus Master Plan. RDG worked closely with the City Engineer to evaluate several alignment alternatives for Meacham Drive and their impacts on existing environmental systems and the established Sports Complex program. The design team ultimately recommended that the new public road be located on the north edge of the Sports Complex site adjacent to the new high school. This solution provided much needed vehicular access to both the high school and Sports Complex as well as prevented the Complex from being bisected into separate areas by Meacham Drive. “The ability to collectively manage the planning and design for the community’s multiple projects has been tremendous for the success of each piece of this puzzle,” said Rita Conner, the Director of Community Development for the City of Pleasant Hill. “It has truly been a process where no stone was left unturned, from a comprehensive review of the needs, to the positioning of the road, to the best ability to move forward in an environmentally responsible manner.”

The Features
The net result of these environmental challenges and public infrastructure improvements reduced the land area to develop the sports complex from 60 acres to approximately 45 acres. The final program for the complex included the following components and park amenities:
• Two 300-foot baseball fields
• Two 250-foot baseball fields
• Four 200-foot baseball fields
• Two 210-foot x 360-foot soccer fields
• Three 210-foot x 315-foot soccer fields
• Sports field irrigation
• Sports field subsurface drainage
• Sports field lighting
• Two concession/restrooms buildings
• Maintenance/storage building
• Four pedestrian plazas with picnic shelters
• Bioretention cells, raingardens, and bioswales
• Naturalized lake
• ADA compliant fishing pier
• Outdoor community performance pavilion
• Multi-purpose open space
• ADA compliant, lighted, 10-ft wide trails
• Wayfinding signage
• Native landscape plantings
• Educational signage
• Sledding hill

Back to The Drawing Board
RDG developed several concept alternatives to accommodate the desired program on the 45 acres of available land. While these alternatives did accommodate the desired quantity of sports fields and park amenities, many of the established core values and guiding principles were sacrificed to achieve this on the 45 acres of available land area. This resulted in the design team recommending that the City explore additional land opportunities to increase the size of the Sports Complex site. Over the next several months, RDG and the City analyzed several different strategies and opportunities to increase the available land area for the Sports Complex, including property exchanges with the School District, property acquisitions from adjacent land owners, and potential partnerships with adjacent land developers. In the end, the City was able to purchase an additional 25 acres of land directly to the south of the initial site, effectively increasing the developable land area of the Sports Complex to 70 acres. Conner recalls, “There were some heart stopping moments when the reality emerged that we were potentially looking at eliminating desired features in the complex due to space constraints. It was the feeling of being very close to a dream but then abruptly waking up. It was the strength of the collaborative vision that brought the land negotiations to a successful outcome, and the process was able to move forward.” While this entire land analysis and acquisition process delayed the planning efforts of the project by several months, the end result is a unique Sports Complex that fulfills the desired program needs and remains true to the established core values and guiding principles set forth for the project.

The design team then developed and presented multipe master-plan otptions to the steering committee, facilitating severa public forums to obtain feedback. Pleasant Hill then entered into a 28E Agreement with the district, agreeing to provide the School District access to open space at the Sports Complex for physical education classes and extracurricular activities in exchange for the City having access to the high school parking lot areas during events. This resource-sharing arrangement substantially reduced the amount of parking needed on the Sports Complex site, effectively increasing the land area available for recreation purposes.

Coming Soon . . .
In April 2008, the first of three construction phases of the $13.5 million Pleasant Hill Sports Complex will commence. The adjacent Meacham Drive roadway project, providing critical vehicular access to the Sports Complex, is scheduled for completion fall of 2008. The new Southeast Polk High School project, providing additional vehicular parking for the Sports Complex, is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in December 2008. The Pleasant Hill Sports Complex is the result of the dedication and cooperation of many different organizations, public entities, and community members working together on a common goal.

“We looked at this on paper for so long, it will be an amazing moment when the first shovel is turned and the complex moves from plan to reality,” stated Conner. “This will be in addition to the reward of knowing that many diverse voices were heard in the process to bring this complex to life. The success of this project truly belongs to the full community.” In addition to enhancing the quality of life for residents through recreation, the Pleasant Hill Youth Sports Complex will provide community identity, a sense of place, and environmental education opportunities for future generations. For more information on the Pleasant Hill Youth Sports Complex, visit www.rdgusa.com/parks/pleasanthill/sportscomplex.

Scott Crawford, ASLA, LEED AP, is a partner and landscape architect with RDG Planning & Design, which provides landscape architecture, architecture, interior design, lighting design, artistry, graphic design, strategic planning, urban design and comprehensive planning services. For more information, visit www.rdgusa.com.

October brought RDG more accolades when AIA Nebraska presented their design awards at this year's Greening Spaces - Excellence in Design Awards Banquet on October 18, 2007.

The jury named RDG as recipient of two design awards presented at their convention in Omaha, Nebraska. The Xenon International School of Hair Design received an Honor Award for Extended Use, and Elkhorn Community Rec. Center received a Citation Award for New Construction. These projects were recognized for excellence in design out of 71 submittals made by Nebraska design firms. 7 Honor Awards, 2 Citations and 1 Honorable Mention were presented at the Banquet.

CENTRAL STATES DESIGN 2007 AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURE
TO RDG FOR NORC

The North Omaha Readiness Center (NORC) was designed for the Nebraska Army National Guard - the first of several projects RDG has designed for the Guard. (The $10M Greenlief Readiness Center in Hastings, Nebraska is currently under construction and we are completing a master plan for the Mead, Nebraska Training site.) One of the Guard's primary objectives was to raise the quality of design for their soldiers. Providing the men and women of the Armed Forces a professional, college and university type environment for their training experience.

EXTENDED USE / HONOR
Project: Xenon International - School of Hair Design
Owner: Xenon International School of Hair Design
Firm: RDG Planning & Design
Photographer: Tom Kessler, Omaha, Nebraska

A School for Hair Design needed a new facility to accommodate a larger student population. The clients also wanted to re-define their image as a cutting edge school, able to attract the best students. The architect was charged with the overall visual look and concept behind this new design. Based on the tight construction schedule and budget the project was design-build.

Jury Comments: "This is an inventive project - just right for its purpose and students. The creation of calm space with the translucent panels is a nice contrast to the edgy salon. The architect was quite inventive with his/her use of materials."

NEW CONSTRUCTION / CITATION
Project: Elkhorn Community Rec. Center (Common Ground)
Owner: City of Elkhorn
Firm: RDG Planning & Design
Photographer: Tom Kessler, Omaha, Nebraska

A Recreation Center was desired for a growing community. Resistance is executed in the design through structural tension and compression. The stairs emphasizes the idea of resistance while the track wraps the workout area (compression). The jogging track cantilevers out from the main structure and is open to multiple interior spaces. The Solera glass wraps the track on the exterior of the building. The mullions patter on the glass on the cadence of the jogging. A mixture of materials gives a sense of layering and transparency to the skin of the building.

Jury Comments: "The track is a great concept in this building and would attract a lot of clients. It has a well-organized plan, however we wished there had been more information and images provided about the rest of the spaces in the building."

“Projects are judged by their advancement to specific elements of planning, emphasizing results and demonstrating innovative and state-of-the art planning methods and practices,” explains Cory Scott. Judges, represented by members of the Minnesota Chapter of the APA, commented, “The plan was clear, thorough, effective and inspiring,”“a home run”, “this is what we want to do for our plans”, and “it is humbling to see the kind of work that others are doing.”

Letters supporting the nomination include Carole Winkleblack from the Marshalltown Public Library. She writes, “Some people believe that plans are simply wishful thinking or dreams that never come to pass, I know otherwise. The Marshalltown City Center Plan, developed by RDG Planning & Design, gives substance and directon towards a better future for our community.” “Marshalltown voters, I believe as a direct result of RDG’s careful planning and presentation efforts approved a $5 million bond referendum to build a new library in Marshalltown by over 71%.”

Gary Lozano, RDG’s project manager of the Marshalltown Project describes the process of the plan as “built on an economic and market-based approach that examines the local and regional roles of the district.” Marty Shukert adds, “And uses these as the inputs for design and policy recommendations focused on the key issues.”

RDG Planning & Design offers professional services in architecture, landscape architecture, interior and lighting design, strategic planning, urban and comprehensive planning, and graphic design. RDG and its predecessor companies have been serving clients since 1965. The firm currently has active projects in more than 25 states.

APA is a non-profit public interest and research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning.

Wetherell Ericsson Architects P.L.C, established in 1892, has been providing architectural and historic preservation services in Central Iowa for 115 years. The firm was founded by Frank E. Wetherell, a University of Iowa graduate, who started the firm in Oskaloosa and then moved it to Des Moines in 1905. Wetherell Ericsson is the second oldest firm in Iowa and one of only four century firms in the state. The firm’s ongoing dedication and commitment to Des Moines and the surrounding community is reflected in their numerous projects spanning a century of architecture. Some of their most celebrated work includes:
• The Herbert Hoover historic site and Presidential library in West Branch, Iowa.
• The planning and design of multiple buildings for Living History Farms.
• The Vermeer Windmill and Interpretive Center in Pella.
• The Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Des Moines.
• The original Central YMCA in downtown Des Moines.
• Terrace Hill Governors Mansion
• The firm has had a significant impact on Des Moines; including spearheading the riverfront development of the 1930’s and 1940’s including designing the decorative railings and retaining walls that parallel the river bank.

The firm is currently working on the restoration of the Woodbury County Courthouse, considered by many as one of the best examples of Prairie Style architecture in the country, and recently completed the restoration of the Clay County Courthouse in Spencer, Iowa.

Woodbury County Courthouse - Sioux City, Iowa

Vermeer Mill and Interpretive Center - Pella, Iowa

“We are very excited about the opportunities this merger presents to better serve our clients with even more diverse disciplines and expertise” states Larry Ericsson. “The one distinctive that has been possessed by our firm for ten decades has been our respect for our architectural past and our recognition of same as a worthy resource to be preserved, creatively reused, or sensitively expanded. This merger will give us the opportunity to use our refined skills, historic knowledge, and experience to serve multiple clients.”

Davis Sanders of RDG echos the excitement of the merger, “RDG is extremely pleased to be adding the experience of Wetherell Ericsson to our already significant restoration experience. The demand for restoration and rehabilitation services continues to grow and this merger helps position us to fill the needs of clients throughout the Midwest and across the country. Part of the growth in restoration is being fueled by the green/sustainable movement, which looks beyond the historic value of a building to see the value of saving all the embodied energy that was used in the materials and construction. This combination of sustainable design, which RDG is already known nationally for, and historic preservation will be a great service to our current and future clients.”

RDG’s preservation and rehabilitation clients include:
• The Iowa State Capitol
• Terrace Hill Governors Mansion
• Fort Monroe Officers Fitness Center, Fort Monroe, Virginia
• Jasper County Courthouse
• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
• Polk County Courthouse
• Chamberlin building for Jack Hatch
• Morrill Hall at Iowa State University
• The transformation of the Central Library in downtown Des Moines to the home of the World Food Prize.

”Creatively influencing life for the better through purpose-driven design is the core of RDG. We believe service and design quality separates us from our competition. With the addition of the talent and professional staff at Wetherell Ericsson, we have increased our ability to make our clients even more successful,” explains Phil Hodgin.