The University of California, Davis has an outstanding tradition in athletics and recreation. The university has won the prestigious Directors Cup for Division II — an honor awarded to the nation’s top collegiate athletic program — a total of six times, including four straight years from 2000 to 2003.
To maintain for students and studentathletes facilities that match the school’s high level of success, the university commissioned the new Activities & Recreation Center (ARC), a “fusion” building that combines active recreation and student-center functions. The twostory building is linked via a bridge to Recreation Hall (a 7,500-seat, multiuse venue that opened in 1977) and is configured around a courtyard with space for both athletic and social activities.
The building occupies an important site on campus, and the architecture reflects the context of adjacent campus buildings. Exterior materials include a combination of warm, gray, split-faced and groundfaced block, limestone veneer and solar green glass in white aluminum frames.
Open to the community are meeting rooms, a ballroom and studentorganization space. The portion of the building only open to students, staff and faculty members contains a four-court gym, a one-court gym, a 12,000-squarefoot fitness center, multipurpose rooms, squash and racquetball courts and a climbing wall. A 1⁄8-mile jogging track passes through the large gym and lobby areas. Support areas include men’s and women’s lockers and showers, a family changing room, an equipment checkout area and an administration suite. Student-center spaces include a food-service area, a banquet room, meeting rooms, lounges and a home for the university’s “Aggie” band.
West River Community Center
