Elgin Sports Welcome Campus
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The Elgin Sports Welcome Campus is a Net-Zero Energy series of buildings including a concessions and restroom station, sculptural canopy pavilion, and maintenance facility as part of the Elgin Sports Complex, a regional center for multiple sports leagues and outdoor recreation. These individual structures are optimized for solar photovoltaics and rainwater collection to serve the immediate site infrastructure and amenities including a playground, food truck plaza, and outdoor gathering spaces. The design is inspired by the adjacent historic Elgin Laundry Building by Bertrand Goldberg with its undulating masonry façade, while implementing sustainable design strategies such as natural daylighting, passive ventilation, and a healthy, contextual material palette.
The project, discussed for six years and in development since the 1990s, commenced two years ago with a $5 million investment from the city. The park's current 107-acre layout includes various sports facilities, and the expansion's first phase focuses on creating illuminated synthetic turf-covered athletic fields suitable for multiple sports. Designated spaces for tennis and pickleball courts, volleyball and field hockey fields, picnic shelters, playgrounds, and walking paths are also part of the plan. City officials anticipate that the enhanced sports complex could attract sports tournaments, positioning Elgin as a sports event destination, providing elevated community spaces, and stimulating economic growth for local small businesses.
After completing the Conceptual Design phase, Nurture expanded the project to a two-building solution, emphasizing restrooms, concessions, and maintenance spaces. Guided by a commitment to sustainability, we opted for an all-electric, net-zero energy ready design with features like on-site solar, rainwater harvesting, and natural daylighting, showcasing our dedication to functionality and eco-friendly practices for the Elgin community.
