The Lois Rhame West Health, Physical Education & Wellness Center - Winthrop University

Rock Hill, SC
Construction Cost: $21.3 million
Area / Square Feet: 137,500
Occupancy Date: September 2007

The West Center is the largest academic building on Winthrop’s campus and replaces the 1915 Peabody Gymnasium. The old gymnasium’s large arched windows were the design inspiration for the West Center’s architectural style. In addition, wood flooring and original seating were salvaged and reinstalled in the lobby of the new building.

The West Center project is the first campus building specifically designed to achieve LEED certification. One energy-efficient feature of the building brings daylight into classrooms located in the building’s interior through rooftop dormers at each end of the space. Octagonal roof structures with clerestory windows bring daylight into the lobby and weight room areas. The classroom corridor opens up to the weight room below, introducing daylight and allowing views of students participating in activities in the gymnasium and on the second-level running track.

The natatorium has a swimming pool with eight lanes and a diving well designed to accommodate a future university swim team. The pool features a filtration system that allows the university to save approximately 200,000 gallons of water per year.