Neumann/Smith Architecture / Cultivating Community

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY

Neumann/Smith is comprised of creative problem solvers driven by pushing boundaries.

We value learning- from each other, from previous projects, and from our clients.

Our firm has designed for practically every market sector, from higher education and workplace, to religious and mixed-use—and numerous others in between. Our talented team pulls from this diverse experience to develop unique designs, ensuring our team is always challenged and our clients’ goals are achieved.

At our offices in Southfield and Detroit, we work together in open and flexible studio teams under the hands-on leadership of Principals and Associates who have been with Neumann/Smith for decades. Our emphasis on mentorship results in well-rounded professionals who learn from—and with—each other every day.

/ WHO WE ARE

02

LOCATIONS

55

YEARS IN BUSINESS

60

TEAM MEMBERS

We design community spaces that embody + inspire their community.

Every community is different. We begin every recreation center project as an opportunity to represent the community through the built environment, providing a space that not only speaks to their needs, but brings people together.

Through thoughtful programming, we strive to create a sense of place that is welcoming, generous, and representative of the community.

From community spaces to sports fields, to commercial kitchens to dining facilities, to concierge services to experiential elements, Neumann/ Smith Architecture understands the wide variety of considerations that go into creating places that are functional, beautiful, and expressive of a community’s values, ambitions, and growth.

OUR APPROACH

DESIGNING YOUR VISION

Leading by listening.

Community input is especially vital for the design of recreation centers, as they need to be a flexible, multi-generational, and multi-use spaces. We begin every community center project by conducting visioning sessions with users, employees and stakeholders. This thorough exercise ensures the end result is inclusive and tailor-made for the respective community.

Our experienced team understands not only what questions to ask, but when to ask them. We weave feedback sessions appropriately into the project timeline so we have the answers we need, when we need them. Crucial feedback at the eleventh hour can derail a project, but crucial feedback at the beginning can be a difference maker.

Community centers like the YMCA are designed to bring all walks of life together in one inviting space. But how do we define what makes that space inviting? To understand the community, we immerse ourselves in the community. Here are some additional ways we would engage tcommunity:

Our visioning sessions will include diverse groups of youths, teens, young professionals, and seniors. Gaining each age group’s insight will help guide the programming, and understanding their needs helps our team strategize on space allocations and adjacencies.

Specificity is key for impactful design. Who needs to utilize the space at what times? What activities are they hoping to use the space for? We need to determine key drivers that impact the program such as community organizations, key recreational groups, specialty clubs and other necessary public/community spaces.

Visioning with facilities and operations teams, along with our specialty consultants is also an asset to gain knowledge of how the space will be utilized. They have the background to understand what is in demand, what is missing, what works and what doesn’t within their community.

By making sure the right people are answering the right questions at the right times, we can design a beautiful, functional and relevant recreation center.

MARKET TRENDS

Human-centric design meets recreational understanding.

Human-centered architecture isn’t a trend, style, or a methodology, but a solution-based approach to optimize the relationship between people and buildings to attend to a community’s needs. Buildings designed with this quest create solutions for problems and opportunities by focusing on the needs, contexts, behaviors and emotions of the people that the answers will serve.

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Focus on a human-centric design that supports mental health, wellness, and inclusivity.

Designing a multi-purpose facility for multi-generations

Balancing sustainable initiatives and design with facility and operational understanding.

Understanding capacity and constructibility of materiality when selecting options for recreational facilities (ex. moisture vapor reduction admix to the concrete design).

Provide ample storage facilities throughout the building.

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Utilizing universal design principles to ensure recreation centers are not only accessible and usable by all, but also welcoming and friendly.

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Facility access control, security, and safety are key elements of design.

Pool and locker room environments need to be thoroughly sealed to control moisture and avoid moisture laden air from escaping into the parts of the building. Natatoriums and locker rooms are negative pressure.

Gymnasium floor slabs need a higher level of flatness to assure level wood floors. The supporting structural design is especially critical if the gym is on an upper floor.

Our team has designed and curated spaces that encompass eight key drivers for a successful community building: 05

Design for the future. A flexible design is crucial as it allows for potential expansion or new phases that address changing needs of the community. Looking forward, there could also be opportunities to add facility space or collaborate with sponsors or other organizations.

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL

DESIGN PROCESS

With expertise in Planning, Community Engagement, Design, and Technical Deliverables, we purposefully merge our collective experience with research findings. This fundamentally informs our non-linear process.

We are constantly evaluating our ideas with the design story to stay on track and ensure our design stays true to the client + community.

This integrated approach and collaborative partnership elevates

creativity, advances technology and drives us to discover opportunities that are authentic and unique to our clients.

We emphasize four bold steps that formulate our approach and create project identity:

Our process is not linear.

INVESTIGATE

WHAT IS?

WHAT IF?

DESIGN STORY

Our process always begins with a conversation to define the project parameters and goals, but more importantly to understand and empathize with what motivates the client, which includes members of the community. We explore the current reality before we begin any design,

PRE-DESIGN /

We’re not drawing, we’re listening.

INNOVATE

WHAT WOWS?

INITIATE

WHAT WORKS?

This is a collaborative effort. Taking the research + data from our community feedback sessions and working group meetings and ideate all possibilities. All ideas are considered and thrown on the wall to review, analyze and consider. We envision a new future for your project.

REFINE /

Test ideas against research.

THE STORY. The point in time when client culture, community needs, value propositions, design philosophy and goals are translated into an overall thesis. Neumann/Smith creates a statement that becomes the guiding principle of a project as a premise to be maintained and proved throughout all phases of design, documentation, construction and beyond.

We translate the design thesis into 4-dimensional space. Exploring and pushing ideas to the edge of innovation by leveraging our design toolbox. We find the BIG IDEA.

SD

+ DD /

We continue to refine site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, 3D modeling and animations while consciously considering budget, codes and constructibility based on site assessment and information gathering efforts.

Any design is only as good as how well it can be executed. As we refine to one singular concrete approach we initiate our delivery. We develop documents to communicate the design to consultants and contractors while preserving our client’s vision for the community. We make it real.

CD + CA /

Delivering our promise to our clients by leading, documenting, coordinating and observing construction.

ROBERT C. VALADE PARK / ATWATER BEACH

PROJECT LIST

— Redford Township Recreation + Wellness Center, Feasibility Study, 20,000 sf, Redford Township, MI

— Wayne County Community College District, Curtis L. Ivery Health and Wellness Educational Center (80,000 sf health and wellness center including, 1,000 seat gymnasium, locker rooms, fitness center, yoga and recreation studios), Detroit, MI

— Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park / In collaboration with Adjaye Associates, est. 2024 opening, Detroit, MI

— Greater Midland Community Center, New Construction, 177,000 sf, Midland, MI

— West Bloomfield Township Community / Senior Center, feasibility study, community engagement, West Bloomfield, MI

— Waterford Community Recreation Center, 75,000 sf, programming, concept design + cost estimating services, multi-use gymnasium, running track, locker/shower rooms, child care, exercise room, fitness studio, Waterford, MI

— Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Robert C. Valade Park / 1,000 sf event space on 3.2 acre urban beach, Detroit, MI

— AM Total Being Fitness, New Construction, 6,300 sf, Dearborn, MI

— Rochester Hills, Family Aquatic Center, Feasibility Study, Rochester Hills, MI

— City of Dearborn, Civic Center Feasibility Study, Dearborn, MI

— Jewish Community Center Addition + Renovation, Oak Park, MI

— Van Buren Township, Community Recreation Center (8,000 sf renovation and addition including gymnasium, jog/walking track, fitness center and studios/multi-purpose rooms, locker rooms), Van Buren Township, MI

— YMCA Recreation Center (83,000 sf featuring exercise space, fitness equipment, multi-purpose rooms and lounge, pools, gymnasium, jog/walk track, and offices and support areas), Ann Arbor, MI

— Livonia Community Recreation Center (135,000 sf featuring a 42’ climbing wall, running track, gymnasiums, gymnastics center, aerobics room sauna, senior lounge, day care, party and meeting rooms, competition and play pools, and an outdoor spray park and sunning deck), Livonia, MI

— Macomb Township, Community Recreation Center (92,693 sf featuring spaces for tots and teens, a fitness area, aerobics room, birthday party room, gymnasium, jog walk track, and office and service spaces), Macomb Township, MI

— Isabella County/City of Mount Pleasant, Family Center Study, Mount Pleasant, MI

— Saginaw Chippewa Recreation Center, Programming and Conceptual Design Study (94,500 sf), Mount Pleasant, MI

— South Lyon Area Recreation Authority (SLARA), Community Recreation Center Study, South Lyon, MI

— Grosse Point Neighborhood Club Addition Feasibility and Concept Design Study (40,300 sf), Grosse Pointe, MI

— Fitness Works/William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine (unique, 70,000 sf facility integrating both a medical clinic for athletic medicine, cardiovascular rehabilitation, and industrial medicine, and a public fitness center), Detroit, MI

— City of Sterling Heights, Family Life Center Study, Sterling Heights, MI

— Summit on the Park Aquatics and Recreation Center (85,200 sf), Canton Township, MI

— Cheboygan Aquatics Center Study (18,750 sf), Cheboygan, MI

— Novi Signature Park Community and Recreation Center Study (159,000 sf), Novi, MI

— Lions Bear Lake Camp, Lapeer, MI

— Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, Gymnasium Renovation and Recreational Expansion (40,000 sf including renovation of a state-of-the art, 300 seat gymnasium and recreational rooms), Plymouth, MI

— Wayne State University, Mort Harris Recreation and Fitness Center Addition (swimming pool was removed and the two-story space infilled with approximately 2,000 sf of new floor, the abandoned pool area and new floor space was converted for fitness and aerobics use, the existing fitness area and adjacent spaces were renovated and upgraded), Detroit, MI

— Oak Pointe Church (250,000 sf including a state-ofthe art multi-purpose room for basketball games and volleyball tournaments), Novi, MI

— The University of Michigan-Dearborn, Field House Entrance Renovations (1,000 sf), Dearborn, MI

GREATER MIDLAND COMMUNITY CENTER

MIDLAND, MI

SIZE / 117,000 sf

STATUS / targeted completion spring 2024

/ A BEACON FOR ALL MIDLAND RESIDENTS

Inspired by responses from community input and workshops, we are proud to collaborate with Barker, Rinker, Seacat Architecture, Clark Construction Company, and our partners to bring a new Community Center to Midland. Community members and partners recently gathered at the site to celebrate the groundbreaking of the project.

Currently under construction, the design team was hired in 2019 to design a new Community Center for Greater Midland. They worked with Greater Midland Community Center under direction of their owner’s representative, Fred Eddy. After exploring a renovation of their existing facility, it was determined a new building was the most cost-effective approach. The new multi-use facility will connect to the existing Midland Curling Center to the north.

In phase one, the Aquatic Center will have a leisure pool with zero depth entry, lazy river, and a four-lap swim lane. Connected by the locker room and changing area is a spa and dry sauna, accessed separately from the pools. In future phases, Aquatics will add a dedicated 8-lane lap pool. The Community Center also incorporates an early childhood education component, as well as significant site development, landscaping, play areas, and engagement to Central Park. In addition to patron spaces there are also administrative and building support spaces with views into landscape site work and play lawn.

/ INFLUENCED BY HISTORY

Midland is deeply rooted in Midcentury modern architecture and Alden B. Dow’s legacy. The design and materiality of the center are influenced by characteristics of his buildings.

/ INSPIRED BY COMMUNITY

The design focuses on creating a meaningful, healthy connection for ALL, that engages the community and brings them together. The center provides a nurturing and caring environment where everyone belongs. Bringing joy and a sense of exuberance to all spaces.

YMCA RECREATION CENTER

ANN ARBOR, MI

SIZE / 83,000 sf STATUS / completed march 2005

/ WHERE RECREATION MEETS COMMUNITY

When asked to design Ann Arbor’s new YMCA facility, Neumann/Smith focused on creating a flexible, multi-faceted space that would suit the community’s needs for years to come.

“The way it was designed was to maximize the amount of congregating space that we have,” said former Ann Arbor YMCA communications director Jan Hack. “It was designed really more as a community center than just a gym and swim.” *

The first floor contains office, locker, child care and aquatic spaces. The second floor contains exercise space, fitness equipment, multi-purpose rooms and lounge areas overlooking the pools. The third floor contains a gymnasium with a jog/walk track on the mezzanine offering a spectacular view of Ann Arbor.

*: Quote taken from 2015 MLive article: “Ann Arbor YMCA marks 10 years on West Washington Street”

VAN BUREN COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, MI

SIZE / 22,358 sf addition + 13,446 sf renovation STATUS / targeted completion Q1 2024

/ ENHANCING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY

Seeking the opportunity to expand and improve programming for its residents, Van Buren Charter Township proposed to fully renovate and expand their existing community center.

Major components of the center will be a gymnasium with elevated running track, group fitness room, open fitness gym with exercise equipment, multipurpose/ party rooms, black box theater, youth area, child watch / play room, new lobby and entrance vestibule, renovated offices, locker rooms, toilet rooms, and support spaces. These components were derived from numerous feedback sessions with members of the community and project stakeholders.

/ UTILIZING THE OUTDOORS

South of the building there will be a landscaped plaza designed for outdoor movies, concerts, and other events and gatherings. An outdoor fitness patio will be provided west of the building off of the group fitness room. This will allow for outdoor exercise classes of various types. A new small courtyard will be provided at the new main entrance to the community center. The site will be fully landscaped and irrigated.

CURTIS L. IVERY HEALTH + WELLNESS CENTER

WAYNE COUNTY COMM. COLLEGE DISTRICT / DETROIT, MI

SIZE / 80,000 sf STATUS / December 2020

/ BRINGING UNIVERSITY + COMMUNITY TOGETHER

The new two-story, 80,000 sf health and wellness center is affixed to the downtown campus of Wayne County Community College District in Detroit.

The center, at West Fort Street and Trumbull Avenue in Detroit, had a total cost of $25 million as part of WCCCD’s capital reinvestment plan. The Center serves students, student athletes, staff and community membership.

The center provides certificate and associate degree programs for fields such as fitness training, sports management, sports medicine, kinesiology, physical therapy and sports conditioning. Students in WCCCD’s Health Sciences department as well as members of the community are also be able to use the new facilities.

The public are able to use the new facility for traditional fitness training and events. Access to the gymnasium for events is controlled at the front desk area. The Center also includes a Café and reception area.

RECREATION + WELLNESS CENTER

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF REDFORD, MI

SIZE / 31,000 sf

STATUS / study completed in 2022

/ BRINGING A VISION TO REALITY

Neumann/Smith Architecture provided programming, concept design, and cost estimating services for a proposed new community recreation center for the Charter Township of Redford. Multiple sites were included in the study to determine the best location for the facility.

Amenities include a new multipurpose gymnasium with elevated jogging track, fitness area, multipurpose rooms, therapy pool, offices, locker rooms, and ancillary spaces. Future expansion may include a pool, dance rooms, second gymnasium, additional multipurpose rooms, child watch, party rooms, and youth room. The linear design of the facility responds to the site constraints. Centered on the site, the building can expand in two directions: one for wet functions, such as the pool, and one for dry functions, such as a gym.

/ LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY

After several meetings with staff and visioning sessions with the community, multiple building programs and building sizes were developed to determine the best fit for the Township’s budget and the community’s needs. The final design option selected provided the basic program elements needed while allowing for the building to expand in the future.

A feasibility study was created to help secure funding for the project and help attain community support.

OPTION 4B / FLOOR PLANS