Performance Gym and Student Commons

Cor Jesu Academy is a Catholic college preparatory high school for young women located in St. Louis, MO. In an increasingly competitive secondary-school market, Cor Jesu wished to stay at the forefront and commissioned Hastings+Chivetta in 2013 to update its master plan. This master plan guides the school’s development for the near-term and into the future and puts the school on a path for continued growth and success. With the acquisition of 10 acres of land in 2012, the school was poised to begin the process of building a new Multi-purpose Gym and Student Commons addition, part of the master plan, designed by Hastings+Chivetta. The innovative new space allows Cor Jesu the opportunity to provide new courses and state-of-the-art learning as well as grow the school’s athletic program. The Performance Gym features two full courts on the first floor for basketball and volleyball, with retractable bleachers and weight training and workout rooms. The new Student Commons was built in an open space between the new addition and the existing school building, and overlooks the new Gymnasium. It also includes a new multipurpose space as well as offices for the athletic department. This serves as a designated community area for students to gather, meet with faculty and collaborate in study areas. The school’s signature red color and natural light from skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows permeate the space. New classrooms with flexible furniture and integrated technology are on the upper level. The new Gym and Student Commons addition allows Cor Jesu to fulfill its mission of educating the whole person in spirit, mind and body.

Millsaps College, founded in 1890, resides on a100-acre residential community recognized for its history, tradition, achievements and beauty. When the opportunity arose to develop a strategy for utilizing land on the northeast corner of the campus, Hastings+Chivetta was selected to develop a master plan for redevelopment. The plan reflects the strategic goals of Millsaps College, including strengthening academic programs, elevating its community presence and reinforcing its relationship with the City of Jackson.

Shortly after the master planning work began, it became clear that development in the northeast corner would have a watershed impact on strategies for the remaining campus land. Master planning work was temporarily suspended to focus on identifying the highest and best use of the site. The Hastings+Chivetta team helped the university identify critical projects to meet long-term campus needs and explored a range of options including mixed-use student housing with retail, medical office space to support adjacent hospitals, stand-alone retail, hospitality and a performing arts venue.

After considerable deliberation, the College decided that a new Performing Arts Center would serve both the College and the wider Jackson, MS community. It would house the College’s Music Department, a conference center, classrooms, rehearsal spaces and possibly even offices for the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. The concept was inviting and representative of the quality of excellence that the College values. The innovative, technology-rich space would promote and enhance the quality of the music, visual and performing arts on campus. The concept design also provided a new and grand campus entry. Opportunities for rental development that would provide a long-term source of revenue were also presented.

After completion of the Performing Arts concept, the master planning efforts resumed, resulting in a series of short- and long-term facility improvements that focused on reorganizing and repurposing existing structures in the campus core. The Master Plan also included the identification of essential new facilities and the refinement of outdoor amenities that would enrich the campus life experience and enhance the charming character of the College.

Valparaiso University is in the first phase of the planned Center for the Sciences with the construction of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Building. This new building is designed to accommodate a growing demand for the chemistry and biochemistry programs.

The Chemistry and Biochemistry Building will be a laboratory-intensive building organized on two levels above grade with a partial below grade level for utility services and systems. The atrium is an eight-sided opening signifying a new beginning. It contains a blown glass sculpture in the full color spectrum of the rainbow reinforcing the idea of rebirth and discovery. The first floor includes teaching labs for biochemistry/molecular/cell biology, microbiology and genetics plus a large interdisciplinary research lab, marshalling area, autoclave, 48-person lecture classroom, conference room, offices, student collaboration spaces and building support services. The second floor includes teaching labs for general chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry/quantitative analysis plus research labs for environmental chemistry, synthetic chemistry, physical/analytical chemistry and computational chemistry. The second floor also includes a prep room for teaching labs, chemistry and chemical stockroom, instrument suite with NMR, offices, student collaboration spaces, chemistry computer lab and building support services.

The project creates multidiscipline environments that support intersections in science, rather than departmental assignments. The scientists will work side by side in a single lab, increasing collaboration through a synergistic network. The researchers share space, equipment, hoods and more, saving the university money in square footage and redundant equipment. The adjacency of science spaces is critical in developing key interdisciplinary interaction opportunities between faculty and students.

The Center for the Sciences will anchor the east end of the campus core. In keeping with master plan guidelines, the first phase is designed to be architecturally sympathetic with the Gellersen Center for Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science addition and the Center for the Arts. Extensive use of glazing will fill common spaces with natural daylight and visually connect the occupants with campus surroundings. The long sides of the building that contain the labs and classrooms will be clad in the buff masonry common to campus. Varied window sizes and placement represent the mystery and search for answers taking place within.

The Center was intentionally positioned towards the Chapel on campus to reflect the creative relationship between faith and learning which is central to the University’s identity. On the south end, views are opened to campus and beyond to the neighboring highway, reminding users of their service to others.

When the Center for the Sciences is complete, it will form a new STEM quad shared with Gellersen. Future buildings will accommodate the biology and physics programs.

Multigenerational community center promotes indoor-outdoor connections.

 

The Bridgeton Recreation Center replaces an outdated 1980’s building with a new state-of-the-art comprehensive facility. The recreation center enhances the well being of the entire community by offering a diversity of family-oriented activities not available in the old community center. The new center is sited northwest of the former location, allowing its continued use during construction. The main lobby, which is entered through the upper level, overlooks the natatorium and gymnasium below. The upper level running/jogging track encircles a two-court gymnasium below and provides expansive views to a wooded area. Secured access to the building’s “activity zones” is managed by staff at the upper level control desk. Park and recreation offices, meeting rooms, game room and aerobics room are located in a “free zone” that is accessible without check in at the control desk. Lower level amenities include a party room, cardio/free weights and two courts. The natatorium includes a zero-depth entry, water slide, current channel, an interactive play structure and lap pool. The project was funded by a voter-approved sales tax used to bond the construction funds.

Amenities encourage students to collaborate and learn outside of the classroom.

 

Saint Louis University engaged Hastings+Chivetta to design two new student housing facilities – the  454-bed Spring Hall and the 528-bed Grand Hall. Spring Hall is designed for first- and second-year students, and houses two Learning Communities – the Leadership for Social Change Community and the Honors Learning Community.

A range of amenities support a collaborative student lifestyle, with a focus on integrating academics and student life. A chapel, community kitchen, and community living room encourage students to share their spiritual and cultural traditions. Sun-filled lounges and study rooms are located on each floor, most with expansive views to the surrounding city. Student organizations are making use of conference rooms and classrooms equipped with teleconferencing capabilities. Students wishing to practice an instrument can use one of two acoustically-isolated music practice rooms.

An office suite on the main level serves staff of Spring Hall as well as the campus minister. Nearby are flexible hoteling suites for faculty who use the facility’s classrooms.

Residents are accommodated in single and double suites, with in-room sinks and a shared restroom/shower for each suite. In addition, ADA-accessible rooms are located on each floor.

The exterior building materials are designed to harmonize with Saint Louis University’s historic context. The façade incorporates brick with cast stone that mimics the limestone prevalent on campus. A large outdoor courtyard creates a central gathering space for students, and includes a “front porch” with a pergola, fire pits, and integrated benches. Also included is a large outdoor television and sound system surrounded by tiered seating that can be used for both classes and resident movie nights.

 

 

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.

State University of New York (SUNY) Cortland retained Hastings+Chivetta to design a Student Life Center that creates a hub of physical and social recreation, as well as dining, on campus. The signature feature of the new facility is the three-lane, 1/5-mile suspended jogging track, which includes a 20-inch grade change to mimic hills. The ADA-accessible track runs the perimeter of the facility and features exterior views in all four directions and interior views into every major space of the building, including a glass tunnel through the pool area. The track is designed for a dynamic indoor running experience in a climate that does not allow outside running for significant parts of the year. The two-story building is divided into three primary sections — recreation, dining and outdoor adventures — with a common lobby and entrances on both sides connecting the three functions. The facility features many new themed, specialty fitness areas. A spinning room is equipped with an interactive lighting system, sound system and a 124-inch diagonal flat screen. A mind/body room has track lighting and more than 900 LED lights to mimic stars on the ceiling. A combatives room is equipped with heavy bags, a speed bag, TRX mounts and floor pads for martial arts programming. A two-story climbing wall is located at the termination of the main concourse. The facility is designed to reduce energy consumption through roof-top solar panels, a green roof, oversized fans, and more, and is pending LEED Gold certification. Since its opening, the University has seen a 100% increase in daily participation in open recreation, a 30% increase in mind/body programming and a 200% increase in group exercise programming.  

The new Student Life Center is designed to be a transformative project on the University of Utah campus. The recreation center is a student-supported project and intended as a hub of social and recreational activity on campus, and the design team incorporated student input and involvement from the earliest stages of the project.

The resulting building is playful and uplifting – a direct reflection of the quality of life at the University.

The design is inspired by its surroundings in the state of Utah, which is predominantly a desert. The color scheme is mostly orange and red hues from the landscape to the south, and the angular surfaces throughout the facility are a nod to the rock formations in the red rock deserts.

The new building joins the previously disparate Campus Recreation Services into a single building. The recreation center features a natatorium with 50M lap pool, leisure pool and whirlpool. The 17,000 SF two-level fitness center contains cardio equipment, weight machines and free weights. Other spaces include a three-court gym with a suspended track, two-court auxiliary gym, a 10-foot tall bouldering wall, 54-foot tall climbing wall, racquetball courts and four group fitness studios.