Recreation & Open Space

The Recreation and Open Space Studio, taught by Professor Ole Sleipness, began by reflecting on what recreation means to each student, and asked them to reach out to different generations of relatives to see how recreation has changed over time. This, along with sketches submitted each week, provided them with the base to then practice their recreation and open space design skills at several different scales and locations.

Rec and Open Space was again coupled with the Residential Design Studio, giving the students opportunities to design recreational open space in a residential setting. Before diving into this process, students worked with Josh Runhaar, Executive Director of Neighborhood

Nonprofit Housing Corporation, to design the recreation areas within NNHC’s Smithfield Pointe development in Smithfield, UT. Groups created a hypothetical family, and with considerations to existing topography and lot layouts, designed connective open spaces to provide recreational opportunities for likely residents.

This guided the students into their individual final project, which included several large parcels at the intersection of Logan, Nibley, Providence, and Millville. The parcels, totaling 81 acres, offered the consideration of many different surrounding uses. These, along with separate city zoning restrictions, and ecological river and runoff restrictions, provided the framework for the students to design their residential and recreation layouts. Through creative housing combinations and open space connections, students proposed different forms and layouts of recreation.

The Studio concluded with a trip to see real-life examples of designing recreation in sensitive areas, the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve, and how residential design and recreation design can be combined effectively in Daybreak, UT. The visit to Daybreak, guided by LAEP alumni and professionals, Mike Budge (BLA, ‘04), David Durfee (BLA, ‘17), and Cameron Blakely (BLA, ‘18), was a great chance to see a variety of projects and hear insights into the design process.

Students will be able to take the skills they have learned in the Rec and Open Space Studio into their future Urban Design Studios. Professor Sleipness looks forward to future collaboration with professionals throughout the area.