At the 2024 NIRSA Conference in April, Quinnipiac University’s Recreation and Wellness Center was presented with an Outstanding Facilities Award, which recognizes new or updated/expanded recreation facilities for innovative designs which have a significant impact on the university’s recreation program. The award review process is rigorous and selective; it requires applicants to showcase their facility’s unique aesthetics, their use of innovative construction materials, and their incorporation of technology among other features. The Recreation and Wellness Center meets all these criteria with a design that takes advantage of the natural beauty of the surrounding area while simultaneously incorporating user-friendly technology and meeting the holistic wellness needs of the campus community.
Located adjacent to the mountains of Sleeping Giant State Park, Quinnipiac University is surrounded by natural beauty, and architects designLAB and S3Design, Inc. took full advantage of the natural setting when designing the Recreation and Wellness Center. Described as a “comprehensive wellness ecosystem,” the facility incorporates building materials sourced from the surrounding area; local stone and wood feature prominently in the architecture. Expansive windows help emphasize the connection to nature by providing panoramic views of the nearby mountains, and living walls composed of plants help to bring the outside in even during the cold Connecticut winters.
Functionally, the additional space that the Recreation and Wellness Center provides helps the university to meet all its students’ needs in a single location. In addition to the traditional fitness studios and cardiovascular equipment, the Recreation and Wellness Center also contains a demonstration kitchen to learn cooking skills, a smoothie bar, health care services, and individual and group counseling spaces. Students can exercise their body, care for their mental wellbeing, or take a relaxing break in the native plant gardens all in the same facility or in our Studio Zen room featuring a massage chair. The ground floor of the fitness center is also home to the 27.5-feet, four-lane climbing wall.
The technology incorporated throughout the building allows visitors to utilize the space to its fullest potential. Students can use the facility’s website to check the occupancy of specific areas in real-time, helping them to plan their visits. Onsite, the equipment features QR codes that link to instructional videos, and the cardio equipment contains Bluetooth and phone-charging capabilities. Users can also monitor their progress by using the Matrix app throughout the facility or the Spivi app in the Spinning® studio.
While the facility’s unique design is remarkable, it’s also truly notable for the impact it’s had on Quinnipiac University’s student experience. After the Recreation and Wellness Center opened, the weekly number of visits increased by an impressive 300%. In a 2023 survey of incoming students, the facility was ranked as one of the top five reasons why students chose to attend the university. One of the award reviewers noted, “When aiming to boost enrollment, this facility would be my top choice to introduce any prospective student to.”
NIRSA congratulates Quinnipiac University, designLAB, and S3 Design, Inc. on this innovative and impactful facility! If you know of a facility that would be a good candidate for a 2025 Outstanding Facilities award, applications will open this fall.
Natasha Fischer is currently the Member Engagement Manager at NIRSA.
