Portfolio

Client

Location

Scale

Cost

Completion

About the project/client: 

Egypt Valley Country Club is located on a beautiful 357-acre property just east of Grand Rapids, MI and offers members two 18-hole golf courses, a competition sized swimming pool, tennis and pickle ball courts, and a welcoming clubhouse.

The design process started with a club-wide membership survey to understand priorities that would improve the member experience while helping drive new membership especially among families. Through the survey and discovery sessions with club stakeholders, the following project design principles were established:

Design Principles

• Upgrade the member experience for individuals and families through a more resort-like atmosphere
• Provide more shade and flexible furniture options
• Offer better services in the pool area such as food/dining on the pool deck with more varied menu options
• Design spaces for the whole family to enjoy, from an indoor game room and group gathering space, to outdoor bar with cabana type seating and fire pits
• Update locker rooms to match new aesthetic and be more family-friendly
• Implement Universal Design strategies creating better overall accessibility

 Outcomes

• We designed large pergola shade structures using concrete, wood, and steel to create bold architectural features, repeated on the bar area. This creates large, shaded areas for the whole family to enjoy rather than individual tents or umbrellas.
• Locker rooms were improved to mirror the look of exterior architecture and integrate Universal Design elements for greater accessibility. Added accessible locker hardware, extra wide benches with backs for wheelchair transfer, eliminated shower curbs, and made the restrooms and showers larger.
• Other Universal Design implementations included eliminating trip hazards, providing a low bar counter, and offering flexible furniture options.
• The pool is open into the evening, so the lighting design accents the architecture and natural landscaping. This also ensures a beautiful view from the north porch and upper banquet rooms overlooking the pool and provides greater visibility at night.
• We continued the Club’s lush, natural landscaping using stone, signature trees, and vegetative buffers adjacent to cart paths and parking lots.

Expertise

Environments