UNL students design community center for Eagle, Neb.

Jake Slobodnik, a senior architecture major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was looking for a way to get involved in the community.

Slobodnik found such an opportunity in one of his classes.

Associate professor Nate Krug's vertical studio class was asked to create design proposals for a new community center in Eagle, Neb.

The 69-year-old community center started to show its age last year when a flood damaged the building. After mold was discovered, the village board, which met in the community center, had to move its meetings.

In August, Mike Wenzel, village board chairman of Eagle, contacted Krug about having his students submit design proposals for the center.

Krug attended three village council meetings to gather information about what community members were looking for in the new center.

Students were also a big part of planning the project, Krug said. They wrote up specific questions asking what residents were looking for to help generate ideas for the designs.

Students created a floor plan, artist depiction, sight plan and interior views for their projects, Krug said.

Officials also requested that the students' designs incorporate a reception hall that could hold between 150 and 350 people, Krug said. The officials also wanted to see plans for a kitchen, break room, conference room, restrooms and offices.

Students' proposals also took into account the economy. Krug said all the students were asked to keep the cost of building the center in mind when working on their designs.

Each of the 12 students in the class had two weeks to create a design, he said.
On Wednesday night, students shared their designs with the Eagle Village Board and the public.

After viewing the proposals, community members were encouraged to fill out a questionnaire to voice their opinions.

Krug said he is always looking for a chance to have students rub shoulders with people and have the possibility to translate ideas into reality.

Slobodnik said he's enthusiastic because "this is just one of the many ways the university gets students involved in the community."

This project also gives students a chance to practice skills they'll use after they get a job.
"This is what we'll do when we graduate," he said. "We'll have a client with a vision, and our job is to turn that idea into a reality."

lisafischer@dailynebraskan.com