The LEED Gold-certified Student Recreation Center at Colorado State University was expanded and renovated to accommodate an increasing student population. The project incorporated additions on the east, southwest and north sides of the facility, totaling more than 73,800 square feet of new construction. Also, the interior of the existing 101,500-square-foot facility was completely renovated.
Among the new spaces are two 38-foot-tall bridged climbing towers, an outdoor bouldering rock, a martial arts space, a multipurpose activity court, special-needs spaces, consultation rooms for personal trainers and physical therapists, a massage room and an aquatics center with a four-lane lap pool, a 35-person spa, a lazy river, a climbing wall, a shallow area for basketball and volleyball, and an on-deck sauna and steam room.
CSU's existing recreation center was a windowless structure, constructed as a simple pile-cast box. While the building was surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, the only view of them was via large interior photomurals. As a result, every planning decision in the renovation and addition was based on capturing external views and the use of natural light.
Materials and finishes chosen for their durability and warmth were incorporated throughout the new and renovated portions of the facility. The overall effect was to blend the existing sections with the new, unifying the entire structure.
Landmark School
