KU architecture students build six light fixtures for a Lawrence playground

LAWRENCE -- Twenty students in the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Design have spent their spring semester designing and now are building six light fixtures for a Lawrence playground.

Third-year undergraduate architecture students in Architectural Design 301, taught by Nils Gore, assistant professor of architecture and urban design, received hands-on experience by working on the light fixtures for the Ryan Gray Playground for All Children at Hillcrest Elementary School.

"I never did anything like this when I was an architecture student in college, and I think it's the right thing to do," Gore said.

The project came about because Gore sits on the site council at Hillcrest, where his daughter attends school. Last fall, council members started discussing repairs and renovations for the playground, including the necessity of installing lights. Gore volunteered his class to design and work on the lights.

Working 12 hours a week and meeting almost every day, the class of 20 -- divided into six groups, with each group responsible for one fixture -- has a deadline of May 6 to finish construction of the fixtures.

They recently presented models of their proposed lights to members of the Hillcrest advisory committee.

"They didn't know what to expect, so they were surprised but excited," said Candace Haines, a St. Louis senior in Gore's class.

The lights for the Hillcrest playground will be a bit out of the ordinary: solar-powered, made from bunched steel and mismatched, with two lights sporting floating steel boxes and one light covered in a wire frame.

The Ryan Gray memorial playground was built in the early 1990s. Gray, often called the unofficial mascot for the national champion 1988 KU men's basketball team, died in 1990 from a brain tumor he had fought most of his life. The playground, which is completely wheelchair accessible, was dedicated in his memory.

Neighborhood associations provided approximately $7,500 in community development grants for the project.

Although third-year students are in the middle of technical training, Gore said that hands-on experience allows students a taste of real-world problems they'll face in their careers, such as estimating costs, collaborating with peers and meeting with community members. Gore hopes to re-create the class experience in the future, perhaps working on other school district projects.

Graduate and undergraduate architecture students are enrolled in the class. KU's bachelor's degree in architecture and urban design is a five-year professional degree program. Hometown information for the architecture students follows:

DICKINSON COUNTY
From Abilene
Shannon Leigh Hilton, senior in architecture, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hilton; Abilene High School graduate.

From Carlton
Sarah Lynn Reel, senior in architecture, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Reel; Abilene High School graduate.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY
From Ellsworth
Lisa M. Dolezal, senior in architecture, daughter of Gary and Janet Dolezal; Ellsworth High School graduate.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Olathe
Amy Elizabeth Gharst, senior in architecture, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gharst; Marantha Academy graduate.
Norman Henry Philip, senior in architectural engineering, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Philip; Olathe North High School graduate.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita
Ryan Daniel Burton, senior in architecture, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Burton; Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School graduate.

MISSOURI
From Chesterfield
Sarah Korbecki, senior in architecture, daughter of Steve and Kathy Korbecki; Parkway Central Senior High School graduate.

From Cleveland
Weston Eugene Coble, senior in architecture, son of Steve and Diane Coble; Midway High School graduate.

From Exeter
Griff Brandon Roark, senior in architecture, son of Jim and Verlee Roark; Cassville High School graduate.

From Festus
Matthew Thomas Bradley, senior in architecture, son of Joseph and Ramona Bradley; Festus R-6 Senior High School graduate.

From Gladstone
Anthony Edward Treu, senior in architecture, son of Arthur and Deanna Treu; St. Pius X High School graduate.

From Kansas City
Christopher Brent Baker, senior in architecture, son of Mr. and Mrs. Brent A. Baker; Park Hill Senior High School graduate.

From O'Fallon
Melinda Mathews, senior in architecture, daughter of Robert and Diane Mathews; St. Dominic School graduate.

From Springfield
Jason David Newland, senior in architecture, son of Susan Newland; Glendale High School graduate.

From St. Louis
Candace D. Haines, senior in archictecture, daughter of Delores M. Haines; Rosati Kain High School graduate.
Kelly Kathryn Horneyer, senior in architecture, daughter of Lee and Catherine Horneyer; Academy of Visitation graduate.

From Webster Grove
Joseph Fletcher Davidson, senior in architecture, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Davidson; Webster GRVS Senior High School graduate.

TEXAS
From McKinney
Eric Michael Rasmussen, senior in architecture, son of Neil Rasmussen; McKinney High School graduate.

IRELAND
Christian Patrick Kerrigan, senior in architecture, son of Richard and Phillomena Kerrigan.

NORTHERN IRELAND
Julia Kim Chee Ng, senior in architecture, daughter of Heather Ng.