Think Like A Custodian

Design a rec center with the end user in mind for greater functionality

By Craig Bouck and Jason Ringdahl

When I first began architecture school, I was a naïve 20-something anticipating lectures revolving around the greatest minds in architecture—Louis Kahn, Le Corbusier, Mies Van der Rohe, and Frank Lloyd Wright. I walked to my first lecture, inspired and eager to learn the secrets of these legends.

Instead, I was met with a dose of reality. I listened to my professor say, “My best piece of advice for you is to think like a custodian.” He explained that no one else understands how every piece of a building fits together, knows how the materials behave in the weather, and sees how the building’s usage changes over time.

While I was not anticipating that advice, hearing his philosophy of beginning with the end in mind shaped the architect I became. Now, 30 years into my career and specifically designing recreation centers, I am constantly inspired by how trends, community demands, and other external factors can change or shift a building’s original intent. I consistently strive to anticipate these influences in order to create versatile, adaptable, and flexible facilities. Custodians have their finger on this pulse of change.

The firm I work for, Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture (BRS), has always been sensitive to who has a seat at the design table and who does not. Over the years, the firm has made great strides in developing and utilizing different tools that encourage more critical players to join in design conversations. I’m just not talking about planners or directors. We seek a wide variety of input from IT managers, avid pickleball players, lifeguards, and many more resources. However, the one group we still struggle to interact with is custodians. We want the right people in the room at the right time, and for a custodian the invitation needs to be extended very early on. The worst scenario is excluding the custodial team from design workshops entirely. I’m often frustrated by this, and each time I find myself repeating my former professor's words of wisdom.

Rather than wallowing in my frustration, my colleague Jason Ringdahl and I decided to ditch our desks and spend several days with recreation-center custodians. What we learned inspired us and changed our design considerations for the better, and now we’re seeking to share and educate others with our findings.

After spending time in five community recreation centers of various ages and sizes, and having conversations with more than 10 custodians, we uncovered simple recreation hacks that anyone can employ. Our research focused on five main areas: