“We were very pleased with having FMD Architects at our side. From the beginning of the project, the staff at FMD was very attentive to the needs of the community and district and the designs accurately represented the wishes of the community! FMD proved to be great problem solvers and team players, and they were very responsive which is critical with a project of this size. I am confident that we have facilities this community will be proud of for years to come.”
R. Michael Daulbaugh
Superintendent of Streetsboro City School District
CLIENT
Various Clients including Streetsboro, Barberton, Keystone, and Mogadore Local School Districts
WHAT WE DID
Architectural Design / Consulting / Project Management
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Throughout the years, FMD Architects has worked with multiple school districts to successfully upgrade their athletic facilities. The stadium projects included completely new construction, additions, and renovations. A few of the stadium projects were also associated with new school building projects, such as in Streetsboro, which included designing a new high school, stadium, baseball fields, and practice fields on a single site. Mogadore originally contracted with FMD Architects for a new field house, but midway through the design, a new football field and other site amenities were added to the project.
THE CHALLENGE
Stadiums and associated structures, such as field houses, concessions, and press boxes, require the ability to efficiently function for various sports, staff, fans, and the athletes themselves. A community’s passion for their team and nostalgia created from the previous stadium should be captured in the new stadium design. The design team also needs to properly specify lasting materials that meet the school district’s requirements and do not inappropriately inflate the construction budget.
THE SOLUTION
Creating clear, open communication with all parties involved is one of FMD Architect’s key attributes and it is especially utilized in stadium projects. Meetings with the school district, local officials, safety teams, and other users allow input on various levels to ensure a well thought-out design. For a new field, we bring in multiple turf vendors for the school district to interview, which helps inform the staff to make decisions. Once the overall layout is confirmed, historical elements and opportunities for school spirit are then interwoven into the design. For example, Mogadore’s original field house dedication plaques were located adjacent to the new field house dedication plaque. This provided an opportunity to respect the past and celebrate the present. When the Friday night lights are turned on, FMD Architects has celebrated the true team effort with many school districts.
