Perry Field House Tour Reflection

The Perry Field House was built in 1992. Its original focus was on academic classes and sports. The reason for this focus was to obtain more grants in order to build the facility that we see today. During the tour that Scott gave I learned a few things about the Field House I had never known; the first being all of the intricacies in the track room. The track is built on top of concrete. This means that the surface is less absorbent to people running on the track and running on this surface over time can cause painful injuries such as shin splints. Scott had suggested that they use different materials when first building that would have cost more to begin with, but been worth it in the long haul. The surface is also wearing away because of runners mainly using the inside of the track. This will be difficult and pricey to replace. Had they have used a more expensive material to begin with, as Scott was suggesting; they wouldn’t have these problems to deal with now.

A part of the Field House that I frequent is the back storage room. This part of the facility defiantly does not meet the standards that have been identified in the chapters. The area does supply room for extra equipment and materials needed for repairs, but it’s a cold, gloomy, garage-like area that isn’t where anyone really wants to go. Storage areas aren’t supposed to be the highlight of a facility, but they should be designed with a little more subtly. Instead of having fencing for separating the storage area, walls could have been used. There are also some areas where supplies are unorganized and all over the place. I also noticed a bucket strung from the ceiling under a water logged tile. This didn’t look safe and the way it was fixed was pretty rinky dink!

The turf room is the most frequently used space in the Field House in my opinion and with good reason. This room of the facility is utilized in so many ways. The area is versatile and this helps the program directors fill time slots and make more money. The field is made with synthetic turf which looks good and is applicable for more than just football players. The field also has dividers so multiple different activities can be happening at once or if you put the dividers up you have a very large space for marching band, football, and cheerleading camp!

Another advantage of the Field House design is the placement of classrooms and offices. These are nicely organized in the building and are in two centralized locations that are easy to find. The signage throughout the building also helps with finding your way around. The building is fairly new and you can tell throughout with the use of neutral design that’s very modern. This helps the building be more comfortable for visitors because it looks fresh and it is easy to navigate your way throughout. Renovations are needed in parts of the building and that was clearly seen during the tour, but that takes a lot of money. The Recreation and Wellness department isn’t a largely highlighted part of the Master Plan, but maybe in the years to come some positive changes can be made in the building.

A link to BGSU’s Historic Campus Tour(Perry Field House):
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/uarchives/uatour/page49536.html

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