The goal of the expansion and renovation of the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center was to provide the Penn State University York student community a place to elevate wellness, both of mind and body, while instilling a sense of pride on the commuter campus. The renovation gives a practical update to a facility built in the 1950s. Improved circulation and program spaces, including fitness areas, a multi-activity court, a group exercise room, locker rooms and student affairs offices, give the school a facility to help recruit and retain students.
The original facility had disjointed circulation (one had to walk outside to get from the locker rooms to dining areas), and was beginning to show signs of age in other ways. The renovation improves efficiency and wayfinding, while daylighting breathes new life into the facility interior, making it bright, warm and welcoming.
Care was taken to ensure that renovated and added spaces would be indistinguishable, making for a unified facility. New views were cut into the existing and expanded spaces, providing visual connections from the inside. Meanwhile, the exterior design blends with adjacent buildings, linking the building to the overall campus. Glass and curtainwall wrap the various facades to visually tie together the building’s masses. Environmental graphics and branding illustrate the sense of pride, history and diversity on campus.
Excelsior Springs Community Center
