For the last 15 years, our team has partnered with the City of Cottage Grove to help plan and design innovative and forward-thinking municipal facilities. Most recently, we were tasked with creating a one-of-a-kind, multipurpose parks facility that would not only provide shelter and restrooms to park users, but it’d also provide opportunities for teaching and celebrating.
The nearly 5,200-square-foot facility features a large lobby connecting the parking lot with the park’s recreation spaces, providing shelter for users and, in the winter, a warming space for activities. The lobby space will also serve two adjacent large, flexible-use classroom/meeting rooms that will be used for education programs and large social gatherings like weddings and seminars. Served by a catering kitchen, this space has large operable doors that connect to an outdoor patio, allowing additional useability.
The City Council and community support sustainability and conservation, reflected in the facility’s design. It will feature a geothermal well field for heating and cooling, and solar panels on the roof will provide almost zero-cost energy. Construction materials were carefully chosen, with natural stone for the base and durable wood for supporting beams, columns and ceilings. The building’s design takes inspiration from its Glacial Valley location, evoking the movement of geology in the area and the formation of early glaciers that shaped the valley. The city plans to collaborate with the community and local artists to create an interpretive art installation, explaining the design’s inspiration and its relevance to local geologic history.