Fort Hill Activity Center

Naperville, IL
Construction Cost: $22 million
Occupancy Date: August 2016

The Fort Hill Activity Center offers the residents of the Naperville Park District much-needed indoor recreation space. The facility fulfills the multigenerational recreation needs of Naperville’s 143,000 residents. Housing four high-school-size basketball/athletic courts, an overhead running track, a multilevel fitness area, dance and group exercise rooms, multipurpose program spaces, a gymnastics area and childcare with an indoor play zone, the facility provides recreational opportunities for all generations. Dedicated program space for the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association, which provides opportunities to community members with special needs, contributes to the idea of an inclusive facility.

The center’s planning embraces community gathering and interaction through open space in corridors and lobbies, allowing natural daylight to filter into all rooms and connecting the facility’s spaces through extensive use of interior glass. The large lobby and flexible space are organized around a central staircase that provides visibility to program offerings. Interior finishes are warm, inviting, durable and easily maintained. Signage, wayfinding and branding were carefully implemented to represent the level of service provided by the district.