CSU East Bay Recreation and Wellness Center

University facility sets a new standard for recreation and wellness centers

The California State University (CSU), East Bay facility changes the paradigm of a college recreation center and the role it plays in campus life.

One of several projects LPA has designed for the CSU system, the two-story 56,630-square-foot complex has become the heart of the college, merging a wide array of recreation and wellness activities with social and education spaces. Amenities include climbing walls, an elevated running track, basketball courts, active training areas, individual and group excursive spaces and administrative offices. Different education, recreation and wellness functions are merged into a single sustainable complex, which serves as a transition between the university’s academic and housing spaces.

The design features 70 percent natural ventilation to cool the building, sun shades, and a Trombe wall, which is a large concrete wall with a glass curtain to naturally trap and radiate heat inside the building. The aluminum perforated screen façade minimizes direct sunlight and gives the buildings its distinctive look. Bioswales and native plants help absorb 100 percent of stormwater. The project was honored with an American Institute of Architects Citation Award.