West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Student Recreation Center

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Firm

Spiezle Architectural Group

Client

West Chester University

Area

71,800 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$20,942,202

Completion Date

06/2012

The new Student Recreation Center at West Chester University (WCU), one of the top regional public universities in the country, boasts more than 71,000 square feet of carefully designed recreation and social space for the campus community. The campus has more than 12,000 full-time undergraduate students.

An aging residence hall was demolished to make way for the new recreation center, which has a jogging track, group exercise studios, rock-climbing wall, racquetball courts, multi-activity gymnasium and a cafe/juice bar.

In response to the campus context and program, the building layers itself from a traditional brick mass on the north to a contemporary transparent wall of glass on the south. The brick facade ties to a time-honored campus material and provides a quiet face to the residential neighborhood, and the south facade enables views in and out of the student-focused center.

In keeping with WCU’s commitment to sustainability, the building’s design takes advantage of daylight, dramatic views, green roofs and walls, geothermal heating and cooling, and the potential for an integrated solar photovoltaic system.