Architectural firm Sasaki was working with a unique set of circumstances when designing Universidad de Lima’s Recreation, Wellness, and Student Life Center, which opened in October 2022. Not only were they designing the university’s first-ever recreation facility to meet the needs of students who are primarily commuters, they were also working to take advantage of specific environmental factors, optimizing the building features to complement the area’s weather conditions. Sasaki’s efforts resulted in a facility which has enhanced the student experience at Universidad de Lima in a building whose construction featured an eco-friendly approach. Since its opening, the Recreation, Wellness, and Student Life Center has earned a variety of accolades, including NIRSA’s prestigious Outstanding Facilities Award in 2024.
When Sasaki created the Master Plan for the Universidad de Lima in 2018, one of the urgent needs they identified was a recreation and gathering space for the university’s students, primarily commuters, who were spending 8-12 hours on campus daily with minimal access to spaces that supported their health and wellbeing. The Recreation, Wellness, and Student Life Center—described by an Outstanding Facilities Award Committee member as a “transformative project for student life in terms of health and wellness”—provides students and faculty with a place to gather as a campus community while taking a break from academics and focusing on their social, emotional, and physical wellness.
The Recreation, Wellness, and Student Life Center offers many opportunities for students to participate in activities related to their health and wellbeing. Specific activity areas include:
- Dining and nutrition
- Mental health and counseling services
- Career services
- Physical fitness, including group exercise, weight training, a multipurpose gym, and a walking track
- Physical therapy
- Gathering spaces and lounge areas
The building was designed to connect the various areas utilizing a floorplan that promotes visibility of the different spaces and encourages visitors to participate in one of the many available opportunities. Movement between the building’s levels flows seamlessly from indoor to outdoor spaces, taking advantage of the area’s mild climate and giving users access to the benefits of the outdoors. Even the jogging track has interior and exterior components via large building doors that can be opened to join the indoor and outdoor portions of the track when weather permits. “All the indoor and outdoor spaces flow together to create a bustling sense of community that’s energizing to be a part of, as the university’s recent 30% boost in enrollment demonstrates,” says Sasaki Principal Designer Pablo Savid-Buteler, LEED AP. “The campus has come to life with World Cup watch parties in the Wellness Center atrium and live music on the new plaza. The students have really embraced it.”
Working in harmony with the surrounding environment was a priority for Sasaki, who worked to capitalize on the wellbeing benefits of spending time outdoors while also working towards LEED Gold certification for the project. Architects consulted with local experts to obtain information on environmental factors such as the orientation of the sun and direction of wind currents, then utilized this information to optimize the design and positioning of building aspects such as windows, landscaping elements, and the rooftop solar power system.
The facility is designed to be self-shading, with a footprint that grows in area as it rises and a brise soleil system that protects the perimeter from excess solar heat. Vegetation is used thoughtfully throughout the exterior landscaping by incorporating low-irrigation plant species that reduce the need for watering and green roofs that mitigate stormwater runoff and reduce heat gain. Plants are also used inside the space as part of a large living wall to maximize visitors’ exposure to nature (and its benefits for individual wellness) whether utilizing the indoor or outdoor spaces.
Congratulations to Universidad de Lima and Sasaki for constructing this exciting new facility which gives students the opportunity to enhance their wellbeing in such an attractive and functional location!
Applications for the 2025 Outstanding Facilities Awards are now open! Eligible facilities will have been constructed, renovated, or expanded between November 1, 2022 and October 31, 2024 and are affiliated with a NIRSA member institution. Submit your application by Tuesday, November 5!
Natasha Fischer is currently the Member Engagement Manager at NIRSA.
