A complex renovation and addition project, the Health and Wellness Center brings academics, athletics and recreation under one roof at Western Oregon University. The new building ties into the renovated gymnasium and natatorium, and the internal circulation is dramatically simplified and updated while vastly improving accessibility. Multiple entrance points allow for campus-wide access by the center’s multiple users.
The design team strived to make the center an open, dynamic space. Views to upper levels, along with the use of intermediate half levels, heighten the sense of activity and energize the space. Multiple overlooks create spaces for stretching, conversation and observation of various athletic activities. Exterior sliding glass doors allow fresh air and light into the space, while wood acoustical panels are used throughout the interior, and the works of Northwest artists permeate the building.
The massing of the building and the exterior materials palette respond to the surrounding university campus. A sloping roof, along with windows and landscaping, responds to the smaller building scale to the south, which is the border between the campus and a residential zone. Brick size and color were carefully selected to match the existing building. A bronze-finish, V-shaped metal panel adds rhythm and variation to the facade. Horizontal louvers on the south-facing gym windows block heat gain from the summer sun but allow the low winter sun to warm the building, while vertical mesh fins help shade the west-facing windows of the cardio/weight room.
Brant Sports Complex
