The new home of the Chicago Park District, emphasizing open space and celebrating the city’s recreational headquarters and designed by Illinois Institute of Technology faculty, opened its doors to the public in June.
IIT Architecture Professor John Ronan’s studio designed the standout two-story, circular building seated on 17 acres of green space in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. Open-air courtyards and park pathways leave employees space for relaxation. A gymnasium, fitness rooms, and club rooms fill the inside the 80,000-square-foot building, along with offices used by employees to run the more than 600 city parks and the hundreds of sports and cultural programs for residents.
The surrounding park features green space, sports fields, a playground, and a splash pad. “The new headquarters building of the Chicago Park District will make CPD staff feel like they are working in a park and put them in direct contact with the public they serve,” John Ronan says.