E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center Interior Design

Transparent design and innovative features drive campus fitness.

The E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center is a 108,000-square-foot, four-story fitness facility that reflects modern trends, student needs and innovative design as well as the generosity of Nevada citizens. It features the latest in Cross-fit training equipment, stationary fitness equipment, weightlifting and other strength training equipment in addition to flexible spaces for Pilates, yoga, Zumba and aerobics. There is a 200-meter, 1/8th-mile elevated running track wrapped around a 3-court basketball gymnasium adjacent to a unique set of indoor “stadium stairs.” The facility has office areas for fitness leaders and staff plus standard amenities like lockers and shower rooms. Below ground is an 85-space parking garage, added to replace metered parking in that location.

To maintain efficiency while using maximum natural lighting, the facility was designed with a range of strategies to provide views, control glare and conserve energy. The exterior utilizes high-performance glass to maximize transparency for views and minimizing heat loss and solar heat gain. Use of energy efficient light fixtures greatly reduced energy usage below code allowances. Automatic control of fixtures through a building energy management system as well as by daylight sensors and occupancy sensors also contribute to additional energy savings. High-performance wall and roof envelopes were used to maximize energy conservation which was achieved with continuous air barrier and insulation minimizing heat transfer.

University students voted to approve a fee to help build the Fitness Center. The cost was also supported with gifts from community foundations and individuals, capital funds and state tax bonds. The building is named for Edwin L. Wiegand, an entrepreneur and inventor whose foundation, established after his passing, has given over $50,000,000 to Nevada projects and causes.

A state-of-the-art fitness center benefits the University, helping them compete for top talent across the country and the world – surveys show that amenities like fitness facilities attract and retain high-performing students. It also was designed with input from students, to support their needs and reflect current knowledge in an ever-evolving fitness industry. Studies prove the connection between good physical health and learning. Having a place to access the latest equipment and training techniques is important to UNR students – over 4,000 of them (there are 21,000 students total) used the facility on its first day of operation.

Hastings+Chivetta, in association with Ayres Associates, has designed the Falcon Center, the largest building project in University of Wisconsin-River Falls history. The Center houses the University’s Health and Human Performance program, as well as athletics and student recreation spaces.

The exterior is clad in brick with limestone at the base and as accents, which acts as a visual reference to the existing Knowles Center as well as ties into the overall architecture of the main campus. The graceful serpentine roofs at the two entry points allow for varying interior heights, and at night serve as a lantern of the athletic complex. A 38’ climbing wall is located at the highest point of one of the serpentine roofs, and gradually flows into the fitness and cardio areas.

Glass garage doors, which can be opened or closed, separate the cardio fitness and athletic free weight areas and increase the versatility of the space. When closed, the noise from each area is contained but visibility throughout the area is retained.

The new design replaces substandard and outdated athletic and instruction facilities. The Hunt Arena ice rink seats 1,400 with a combination of fixed seats and bleachers. The redesigned concourse eases navigation, and the back-loaded seating improves visibility and functionality for fans. The arena also boasts a new scoreboard and oversized 18’x10’ horizontal video screen. The Page Arena seats 2,000, and the two arenas are connected by a common concourse, which houses a centrally-located concession stand.

In addition to a large gym and an auxiliary gym, fitness center and a human performance laboratory, the new Falcon Center provides classroom space, training rooms, locker rooms, a dance studio and offices.

Hasting+Chivetta and FBT Architects were selected by the University of New Mexico to transform the outdated Johnson Recreation Center into a student-focused hub of campus activity. Student support for the renovation and expansion is resounding – the project is funded entirely by students.

The Johnson Center opened its doors in 1957 and has not had significant upgrades since. Multiple additions over the years were connected to the original facility via long hallways. The result is a complex wayfinding problem with internal corridors not connected to each other – students can easily get lost and are not able to see the wide range of activities available. The exterior of the Center also reflects a lack of cohesion between the multiple additions over the decades. Hastings+Chivetta and FBT developed a multi-phased plan that will guide the development of the Center for the next decade, and work on the significant first phase is underway.

A new concourse will be added in order to unify previously separated areas of the Johnson Center and simplify building wayfinding and circulation. The glass-walled concourse will create a new entry and pre-event gathering space for the adjacent performance gym, and connect to the renovated practice gyms, as well as the new fitness suite (doubling the existing space), weight training area, functional training zone, outdoor activities suite and climbing wall. The multipurpose rooms and dance studio will also be renovated. A new jogging track and cardio mezzanine will be added above the existing practice gym, and will connect to the new fitness center.

The next phase of renovations will encompass the performance gym, 50M pool, and a large suite for the department of Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences (HESS). The HESS suite renovations include departmental offices, conference rooms, fitness testing, a biomechanics teaching and research lab, hydro tank/testing area, and a biochemistry lab. Adjacent to the HESS suite will be a connector to a planned Interdisciplinary Academic Building that will accommodate additional HESS classrooms and labs.

Overall, the renovations and expansion will increase the available space for athletics, recreation and academic functions for the University. The new exterior façade will engage with the surrounding campus and landscape, and create a more positive first impression for campus visitors.

This project is LEED Gold certified.

Academics, recreation and athletics in support of the University’s strategic mission.

Utah Tech University chose Hastings+Chivetta in association with MHTN to develop a program for the University’s new Human Performance Center. Once the program was approved, the University tapped Hastings+Chivetta and MHTN for the design of the new facility.

The Human Performance Center is the new home for academic programs in Health and Human Performance such as exercise science, sports management and health administration. The facility also provides space for Utah Tech’s joint effort with the University of Utah to offer physical and occupational therapy degrees.

In addition to these academic opportunities, the Center serves campus recreation, intramural, and athletic needs. Recreation components include a fitness center with cardio, weights, and functional training, a track, two-court gymnasium, multi-activity courts, and a climbing wall. A unique component of this project is the rooftop recreation area. Amenities include pickleball courts, basketball courts, and an indoor outdoor track that will circle the roof and continue indoors via a sprint track.

A new 50-meter swimming pool is the only pool in Southern Utah that conforms to NCAA Division II standards. The pool is open to the public during non-academic hours and available for local and regional events.

The facility represents the next major step in showcasing Utah Tech University’s “Active Learning. Active Life” strategic plan.

Transparent design and innovative features drive campus fitness.

The new 72,400 SF Bow Creek Recreation Center replaces a 50-year-old facility with a modern and sustainable building. The new center offers the community world-class amenities and top-notch programs and classes. The modern facade of the new building is anchored by a concrete masonry base. The angled roof plane rises and falls over the structure in direct contrast with the level landscape. Anchored metal panels are a colorful contrast to the organic masonry. Large spans of glass provide transparency into major activity components and simplify visitor orientation and wayfinding. The building plan is organized in an “L” shape with the main entry, and separate activity areas for seniors, youth and children are grouped on one side of the natatorium. Locker rooms and gymnasia are grouped on the other side. The upper level incorporates an aerobics/dance studio and fitness center. The new center features an indoor swimming pool, expanded cardio/weight training area with group fitness studio, indoor double gym, youth game room, meeting rooms and classroom space for early childhood programs. Also included in the design is a separate golf pro shop, snack bar, and a golf cart storage facility. Aquatic amenities include:

5,000 SF indoor leisure pool
¾-meter diving board
Drop slide
Four 25-yard lap lanes
Zero entry
Kiddie slide
Deep water aquatic exercise equipment

The facility is LEED certified and provides the owner substantial energy savings through geothermal mechanical system and more. The design team considered indoor air quality when selecting products and materials, and pursued exemplary performance points for on-site stream restoration to treat Bow Creek neighborhood storm water runoff.

During the summer of 2016, Hastings+Chivetta conducted an Outdoor Recreation Facilities Master Plan for Iowa State University to increase the functionality of current resources, improve the quality of existing facilities and boost University engagement.

Through a series of on-campus meetings with Recreation Services and Facilities Planning and Management staff, the planning and design team examined and assessed the recreation fields and facilities at four locations across campus, proposed improvement options and created conceptual designs for each site.

One of the planning team’s recommendations was a new Towers Recreation Center which would meet the University’s growing fitness and wellness needs. The Center would provide approximately 100,000 SF of recreation, fitness and wellness amenities as well as a 140-seat auditorium. Components include a fitness area, lounge, three MACs, a two-court gymnasium, weight strength and cardio space, locker suites, a teaching kitchen, exam/first-aid room, physical therapy space and a meditation multi-purpose room. The two-story open floor plan is fed from a single northern circulation and access control point. Outdoor sand volleyball, tennis and basketball courts as well as a synthetic turf field are located adjacent to the Center.

The Bill and Lucille Magers Family Health and Wellness Center is a medical home for the Missouri State University students, faculty and staff, offering clinical appointments, urgent care services, a treatment clinic, mental health services, a pharmacy and wellness programs. The existing building was originally constructed in 1969 for a student body of 8,600 students. Currently, the university has over 20,000 students on campus. With patient rooms booked at more than 97% occupancy every day, the facility simply could not keep up with demands.

Hastings+Chivetta Architects worked with the university to evaluate options for renovation versus new construction.

On-site design workshops involving students, health center staff, administration and maintenance staff were held. The team determined the need for a new facility and then prescribed a strategy for implementing recommended solutions.

The the new Health and Wellness Center doubles the space available for health care and wellness teaching, provides increased comfort and privacy for patients, and features a convenient drive-through pharmacy. Also incorporated is consultant space for clinics, such as dermatology, gynecology, orthopedics, dietetics and psychiatry, among others. The center also houses the Student Counseling Center and a Women’s Health Center. The Lab offers illness testing for students, while the Travel Clinic provides preventative medical care to international travelers. The facility serves the campus as a “one stop shop” for health, research and lifestyle management.

Design efforts emphasize achievement of an energy efficient facility with particular concern for natural day lighting, sensors for reductions in lighting use and water use reduction. Indoor air quality includes attention to ventilation opportunities and the specification of low emitting materials. Natural light is encouraged in as many areas and to as great an extent as possible. The center has an open and integrated feeling which is supportive of the integration of its health programs. The facility also emphasizes consumer accessibility to health resources through openness of spaces.

The University’s historic Cope and Stewardson Field House has been transformed into a 21st century fitness, athletic and recreation center. Completed in 1902, it is a registered historic landmark and was the site of the 1904 Olympics, the first Olympic games held outside of Europe. The new Recreation Center, created through the addition and renovation of the Field House, is an innovative, modern facility that honors its legacy.

A 1980s addition on the north side of the Field House created a visual distraction from its character. Designers wrapped the northern addition and the new southern addition in a glass-enclosed colonnade featuring masonry piers capped with restored Indiana limestone. This approach respects the architectural integrity of the original structure with an interpretive design that honors its historic context.

The original entry was restored as the main access point to revitalize the arrival experience. Existing half-level floor plates were removed to create a multi-story space through which a bridge, surfaced with hardwood salvaged from the original gymnasium floor, connects old and new and serves as the primary access point for every-day use. The entrance leads to the open, three-story fitness center and is flanked by multipurpose fitness spaces, a spinning studio and a nearby recreation gym. The elegant, soaring structural elements in the fitness space are paired with articulated wood paneling and glass clerestories and skylights. The result is a modern, open dynamic space that promotes health and fitness and encourages connections to the history of the institution.

Serving as the main athletic facility for the Air Force Academy, the Cadet Fitness Center lacked adequate space to provide basic individual fitness training for cadets. The existing building was in need of an expansion and renovation to improve building conditions and program areas. Hastings+Chivetta, in association with Korte Construction, was chosen as the design/build team for this project. Phase I of this project involved an addition of 42,571 GSF for weight training, aerobic conditioning, fencing, a climbing wall, space for Physical Fitness Test-specific exercises, locker rooms, floor aerobics and spin cycling classes. A Phase II expansion will include a natatorium with multiple program functions, a larger varsity weight room, visiting team locker rooms, and cadet club training spaces. The weight training room and natatorium will both be large, two-story spaces connected on multiple levels by a southern corridor off of the main lobbies and points of circulation.

Careful scheduling has allowed the Cadet Fitness Center to remain open during all phases of construction. This project received LEED Gold Certification.