This project expands St. Ambrose University's current facilities to create a bold and singular facility that will well serve the immediate needs of its shared users in Athletics, Recreation, and Kinesiology. At approximately twice the size of the existing PE Center / Lee Lohman Arena, the Wellness Recreation Center (WRC) will become an important campus icon and a deeply held asset of this campus community. The large open volume of the Fieldhouse serves Athletics with new practice and competition venues. Recreation has access to spaces never-before available for open recreation. Kinesiology will receive appropriate and new academic venues, along with multiple new spaces for activity classes.
St. Ambrose University’s new Wellness and Recreation Center has led to increased student enrollment and is quickly becoming a powerhouse among similar facilities. Presented with a package of signage, wall graphics and banners, the University quickly realized the impact of utilizing each element. According to staff, it’s these pieces that leave users “wowed”. Wayfinding crossed over into graphics making areas of different utilization immediately recognizable. Room signage, reminiscent of the honeycomb shape, allows the seamless addition of donors — an important part of the program. SAU’s brand is conveyed through the powerful use of color and imagery making it known that this is Fighting Bee territory.