CannonDesign’s Sports Group is a core part of the firm’s global education practice with a focus on creating collegiate recreation facilities that enlighten minds and promote physical activity. We are committed to supporting our client’s goals and contributing to the campus life fabric.
CannonDesign has extensive experience creating new recreation centers and renovating older ones. The firm is equipped with a full suite of services from master planning to architecture, engineering, interior design and environmental graphics to help institutions deliver the best recreation environments possible. Lindy Fenex, the director of recreation at the University of California Riverside, discusses their experience working with the company. For more information visit, cannondesign.com or email Christopher Whitcomb at cwhitcomb@cannondesign.com.
1) How did you first hear about CannonDesign and why did you decide to partner with them?
LF: CannonDesign (formerly known as Cannon/Parkin in 1990) was the architect for our original Student Recreation Center project back in 1990. Per University policy, we were required to openly bid the architectural services for our expansion project and while many of the personnel had changed over the years, CannonDesign was awarded the bid for our expansion project given their expertise and quality.
2) What were the benefits to your recreation center and students as a result of the partnership?
LF: CannonDesign has long been a pioneer in the design of campus recreation facilities going back to the 1980’s with the Wooden Center at UCLA, one of the original campus recreation facilities in the nation. They have designed many incredible facilities and it was clear that this is an area of strength within their company. Our facility and our students benefitted from CannonDesign’s accumulated expertise in this area and their ability to translate our students’ program desires into a facility that is not only beautiful, but wonderfully functional as well. In addition, our expansion facility has won around seven awards for architectural excellence, which is very exciting and a great source of pride for our students and our campus.
3) Have you been pleasantly surprised by working with CannonDesign in any way?
LF: Yes. Our experience working with CannonDesign was very positive. One of the most positive aspects of our recent project was the proactive communication and collaborative working environment that took place between architect, general contractor – CW Driver and client – UCR. CannonDesign was extraordinary at keeping everyone’s efforts aligned with our project goals of delivering the product on time, on spec and with client satisfaction at the forefront.
4) What else can you tell other recreation professionals about the benefits of working with CannonDesign?
LF: I would say that CannonDesign is a first class architectural firm with great strength in the campus recreation facility design industry. They bring tremendous expertise in both design and constructability to the table which matters when your project progresses through the early stages of design through each phase of construction. Our experience with CannonDesign was very positive in large part due to their skill in these areas.
