The Forest County Potawatomi viewed the construction of a new 105,000 square foot community center in Crandon, Wisconsin as an opportunity to create a hub for cultural education, recreation, athletic training, competition, wellness and social events for the Community. The building design sought to honor the Forest County Potawatomi values and culture. Natural elements like exposed wood were used and bright colors were taken from the Forest County Potawatomi logo. The footprint even mimics the shape of an eagle in flight.

The building was programmed to meet the diverse needs of the community from the elders to the younger generations. All spaces, including the 20,000 square foot gymnasium, 8,000 square foot pool, classrooms, and shared spaces had to serve the entire community. To accommodate this diverse set of users, the furniture needed to be accessible and accommodating. Universal Design – the design of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability – became a critical consideration.

“We kept that at the forefront of our minds for all the furniture in the building,” said Tara Christian, Director of Interior Design at RAMLOW/STEIN Architecture + Interiors.

For the community spaces, the furnishings are easily moved, accommodate different activities, and able to withstand use from a wide range of ages. Lightweight and adjustable height seating became the standard. To ensure durability, vinyl and non-woven textiles were selected and a moisture barrier or added coatings were used to ensure they withstood heavy use in all spaces, but especially the pool area. The furniture pieces were also chosen to work with the overall architecture and interior design of the building. Vibrant colors were selected to reflect the colors of the Forest County Potawatomi logo. The workstations and table tops used wood-like finishes to create that visual of wood and warmth on the surfaces.

“We made sure that we could include the warmth of wood wherever possible,” said Christian, “Because this space is up in the north woods, nestled in the forest, having wood as an interior finish created a sense of warmth and brought the outside in.”

Henricksen participated in design meetings and reviewed furniture specifications and fabric selections remotely because of COVID restrictions. “They had to send all the finishes up to Crandon so we could walk through them over the phone,” said Christian. “They gave of their time immensely.” Henricksen also used the “Designing with You” process on the project, using design tools like CET software to remotely draw and space plan right along with the architectural firm and the client in real time.

Henricksen furnished the entire building, including the natatorium, game room, pediatric therapy space, training room, huddle spaces, teaching labs, lobby, woodshop room, child rearing, a community room used for large group instruction, and an administrative area.

The administrative space is an open, long corridor. To best fit and serve the needs of the users, adjustable height corner clamp surfaces are used to accommodate base board heating vents. A privacy screen was also installed to prevent the loss of items that would drop under the tables. Christian syas of the collboration with Henricksen, “this project is a really good example of how Henricksen is a full-service firm, they can complete a project from RFP through to the end. They were really attentive and present throughout the process.”