Special Events Recreation Center - The College at Brockport: SUNY

Brockport, N.Y.
Construction Cost: $34 million
Area / Square Feet: 170,000
Occupancy Date: June 2012

For the College at Brockport, a medium-sized State University of New York college, the traditional field house model evolved into a Special Events and Recreation Center, expanding and reorganizing a large 1970s “P.E. box” complex with 12 indistinguishable entries and a dysfunctional interior circulation system. As a gateway to the campus and athletic complex, the SERC also becomes a regional event space for gatherings, concerts and athletic competitions.

The strong, light and airy atrium connects not only the “House of Fields” event space, a new dedicated fitness center, and the original P.E. complex, but provides a shared common entry and support for the existing ice arena, improving and concentrating the visitor’s experience while providing efficiency in both construction and operational costs. The canted ceiling/roof design cleanly organizes the most dominant feature of this facility into a flexible and suitable backdrop for campus-wide events. The subtle color pattern of the enclosing metal panels breaks down the size and ties new elements at both ends of the complex together.

The new facility addition is designed to provide “surge and swing” spaces to allow comprehensive renovation of the original facility to occur in coming years with less disruption to the campus and users.