Forest County Potawatomi Community Center City of Crandon, WI

Project Description:

Nestled within the vast wooded expanse of northern Wisconsin lies “thayék ėthë dnêkmëgzêk myéw,” the place where everybody plays. The catalyst for building a new community center was born out of great need. The Forest County Potawatomi people sought to create a space for children whose families had been impacted by drug and alcohol addiction — a place of wellness, a place of rest and a place of community.

The design team worked closely with tribal leaders to develop a facility that is both culturally significant and programmatically appropriate, weaving natural imagery into the building’s interior and exterior elements. The exterior design draws inspiration from the form of an eagle, an animal that carries special importance within the Potawatomi community, while the interior replicates the surrounding woodland with structural forms and materiality. The central spine, or eagle’s body, is a two-story gathering space that acts as a connector between the flanking gymnasium and turf fieldhouse, or eagle’s wings. Additional detailing within the space includes four pillars covered in mosaic art based on Potawatomi drawings that celebrate the 12 moons, or four seasons, and pinhole lighting that recalls stars in the night sky or embers rising from a fire.