Campus wellness and sustainability
Campus Recreation Center - Northern Kentucky University
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Recreation and fitness facilities have become integral to every college and university campus. More students, faculty, and staff prioritize their health and wellness, and universities rely on state-of-the-art facilities to boost recruitment and retention. Northern Kentucky University’s (NKU) existing Albright Health Center, constructed in 1984, no longer provided students with the recreation and fitness amenities they expect or desire.
The original rec center was designed as a windowless, precast concrete panel box, which reflected NKU's 1970s neo-Brutalist style. But the University wanted a light-filled, inviting, and energetic space. In collaboration with Cannon Design, we led an inclusive and comprehensive design process. A series of focus group sessions with students, faculty, staff, and the general public yielded valuable input on the design and program. The Omni/Cannon team developed a transformative response in terms of its impact on the existing structure.
The concrete panels on the gymnasium were removed and the addition was softened with a curved form of vertical glazing and insulated metal panels to increase visibility and views. The framing and panel color is a contextual response to the adjoining building. For the inner, windowless core, we added clerestory skylights to bring natural daylighting into the building. We removed many interior walls to create transparency between the fitness spaces that include an indoor track, multiple basketball courts, cardio/fitness/weight training areas, a natatorium, a Multi-Activity Court (MAC), racquetball, and fitness studios. The new building respects the brutalist architectural style dominating most of the campus while communicating its forward-thinking culture.
Sustainability was a key factor in the building and systems design. From the beginning, NKU was clear about their desire to achieve LEED Silver certification. They proposed we renovate and expand the structure, instead of demolishing the existing building and starting with a cleared site. This alone earned LEED credits that are typically difficult to obtain.
We targeted additional credits in critical categories like Sustainable Site, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, and Materials and Resources. We utilized materials with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), which reduce indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the occupants. We also installed the first geothermal system on NKU's campus - a vast improvement in energy efficiency over the campus steam and chilled system.
It's not unusual to lose LEED points during construction due to scope changes or the discovery of unforeseen conditions. To account for this, we factored a cushion into the design. But toward the end of the documentation process, calculations showed greater improvements than projected and it became evident that we would surpass Silver. Through the efforts of the design and construction team and NKU’s commitment to sustainability, we were able to achieve NKU’s first LEED Gold Certified building.
The new facility includes basketball courts, racquetball courts, a multi-activity court (MAC), a walking track, weight training areas, a spinning studio, group exercise rooms, a TRX system, locker rooms, administrative areas, a natatorium featuring an 8-lane, 25-meter pool with diving platforms, a recreational volleyball pool, a jacuzzi, and a steam room.
