The Health & Fitness Center at Washtenaw Community College is being hailed as the first LEED Gold certified student health and wellness center in the country. Sustainable design features include automated lighting, salt-treated pool water, and heating and cooling measures that include a reflective white roof, a central boiler that recaptures heat and room monitoring sensors that automatically control temperature.
The first campus student recreation center in school history also welcomes community membership, and the building accommodates each demographic group separately with two entries: one that links directly to the campus and another that features quick access to the childcare center, express lockers and parking lots. One control point serves all members and guests, as do a café, a retail store and classrooms for community meetings and events.
Shades of warm gold and cool green were combined with natural maple and birch wood finishes, creating a light and airy backdrop for recreation center activities. Terra cotta accents and copper metallic forms further enhance key building elements. High-traffic floor surfaces were made of post-industrial recycled porcelain tile, complemented by natural slate borders. Recycled or renewable flooring is also found in fitness areas, the gymnasium, and Pilates, yoga and aerobics studios. Natural light floods the spaces through numerous perimeter windows and a high-tech skylight design.
