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October 9, 2026Listening & Learning
Week 7What I’ve Made & Done
Community Meeting & Visit
On Monday I got to travel to Prairie City and meet with city officials to chat about a potential project direction. What I learned from the meeting is that they really want new tennis courts. (I played on these same tennis courts in middle school and I don’t want to talk about how long ago that apparently was. Time flies)
At first, I came into town for this initial visit with the idea I’d walk into stores and spaces and ask people some questions (see Week 6) about the town’s assets, challenges, and gathering spaces. But as we talked more about the tennis courts, I thought…why force the conversation into a different direction? Maybe this is the direction. This is an asset and a challenge.
The tennis courts serve as a gathering space and third place in a really excellent way. During Prairie Days they hosted a pickleball tournament here (which was popular). The city staff said even though these tennis courts are currently in rough condition — I called them “well-loved” and they said that was one way to put it — residents are there every night using the courts. They serve as a rec space for the north side. The south side of town has the new rec fields (well, they were put there like 20 years ago but still seem new to me), so the tennis court area is easier for north side residents to walk to. The tennis courts are along the trail and a major road through town and within walking distance of the schools.
When I was in middle school, we’d walk to these tennis courts to play during PE. It sounds like they don’t do that anymore because the courts are in rough condition, potentially not very safe.
They took me to the tennis courts and I took some photos. They’re hoping to show a before and after comparison — using my photos as “before” and design plans for new tennis/pickleball courts (+ more…) as “after” as they apply for funding through different grants this winter.
It got me thinking. Since these are so clearly a great third place and asset to the community, and people already naturally gravitate toward them, how can design enhance them (besides the obvious of replacing the worn out court)? With their location right along the trail, what can be done to brighten the space or call more attention to it? How can it be used besides as an athletic space? Could the fences or area around the court display some sort of design, something the community can be a part of? The city staff mentioned putting up a sign to show the proposed design for new courts + rec space; how else can this real estate be used? And maybe there’s other ideas here too.
I ended up not walking around town as much because I wanted to think more on what I had learned about the tennis courts. I did go into the new library, which was great. Library staff chatted with me and gave me a tour of the new space. It is also an excellent third place. They host several popular library programs each year, from sourdough classes to local history talks. When I went in, several people were there using the computers or browsing through books. They have a meeting & community room, and the whole place is full of light and just nice to be in. It’s also on the town square.
The library staff told me they had just fundraised to build this new library and showed me one of their fundraising brochures. They talked about the process of creating this new space (which feels similar to the goal of the new tennis/pickleball courts). It also sounds like funding for towns is about to be cut quite a bit based on some state policy changes — something I’m keeping in mind as I move forward with the thesis.
I also went to Goldie’s (because it is amazing) and got a twister and sat there alone for awhile, which was a little uncomfy at first, not because of the place but because I’m awkward, but it felt more comfortable as time went on. I went in when it wasn’t very busy — it was crazy to just be sitting there eating ice cream at 3pm on a Monday — but I knew the after-school crowd would be coming in soon, and they did. It was kind of cool to just sit there and enjoy a treasured third place in the town.
We love a stop at Goldie’s
This first visit felt beneficial, made the connection for the project feel more real, and introduced me to people I either hadn’t met before or hadn’t talked to much before. Everyone was really nice and it was fun to see the connections of people I know from school. I was nervous it would feel awkward, but it really wasn’t. It was actually pretty nice.
The goals of my project are to work with a community, to listen, and to see what their specific interests are. How can I, as a design student, look at what they already have going on and enhance what that is with my time and the design tools in my toolbox? I think it helps that I’m somewhat familiar with the place. The absolute last thing I want to do for my thesis is to “parachute” into a town, give them something they don’t want as my project, and leave. I actually want to do the opposite. So my thought is, by leaning into a project they already have a vested interest in, how can I try out some skills and learn more about the process of doing a design project with a specific community while also helping out in a creative way?
Meeting with Bern
Bern and I chatted about what I learned in Prairie City, and I told him about the tennis courts. We brainstormed some design project ideas utilizing the tennis court space (especially the fence). The fence as a canvas?
The tennis courts are located along two major streets through town, next to the trail, and across the street from the schools, so it is an area that gets attention.
Could a fence art design be something that calls attention to the courts, and/or town assets? Could the community be involved in assembling the art? Would it be temporary or somewhat permanent? (If the fence is coming down if/when the courts are remodeled)
Discussing other “small bets” — is there the potential for designing merch to sell to help with tennis court replacement costs?
Is there potential for fence cup art?
These designs are both made using Put In Cups
Exhibition Planning
I haven’t spent too much time this week on exhibition planning, but my husband drew up this cool measurement map of the gallery space that I don’t want to lose.
What I’ve Been reading
Artists Explore a New Canvas: Tennis Courts
Thanks Dan for sharing this New York Times article about a trend of artists painting tennis courts! I mean how cool is this
A little lighter on reading this week, but I’m still chipping away at Palaces for the People. :)
Up next
Precedent project research on tennis courts or other recreational spaces + design/art
Draw up project proposals based on what I’ve learned about the tennis courts and library as third places
Compile background research on community (and consider where I’ll put this in the thesis write-up)
Continue “rural design” booklet photo collection and begin layout design
Continue exhibition planning — what other items do I need to begin designing?
(Didn’t do this last week) Think about starting lit review! Pretend I’m starting the thesis writing - what’s it called? What’s my problem statement? What’s the lit review focused on? Start compiling allll the research around that theme — altering this plan to adapt research for the midterm presentation