NIRSA Facility Feature: Quinnipiac University’s Recreation and Wellness Center

At the 2024 NIRSA Conference in April, Quinnipiac University’s Recreation and Wellness Center, designed by architects designLAB and S3Design, Inc., was presented with an Outstanding Facilities Award. Outstanding Facilities Awards recognize new or updated/expanded recreation facilities for innovative designs that have a significant impact on the university’s recreation program. The award review process is rigorous and selective; it requires applicants to showcase their facility’s unique aesthetics, their use of innovative construction materials, and their incorporation of technology among other features. The Recreation and Wellness Center meets all these criteria with a design that takes advantage of the natural beauty of the surrounding area while simultaneously incorporating user-friendly technology and meeting the holistic wellness needs of the campus community.

Salvatore Canciello, Principal at S3 Design, Inc., says, “One of the most rewarding aspects of the Quinnipiac Wellness Center is the success of the social and education hub that connects the physical, clinical, and cognitive health programs within the building. Thinking back on the design process, the space is the result of a small idea that gained momentum and was enhanced through a collaborative design process between two design firms and three university departments to program and shape the physical environment as a microcosm for the mission of holistic wellness at Quinnipiac.”

Located adjacent to the mountains of Sleeping Giant State Park, Quinnipiac University is surrounded by natural beauty, and the architects took full advantage of the natural setting when designing the Recreation and Wellness Center. Described as a comprehensive wellness ecosystem, the facility incorporates building materials sourced from the surrounding area; local stone and wood feature prominently in the architecture. Expansive windows help emphasize the connection to nature by providing panoramic views of the nearby mountains, and living walls composed of plants help to bring the outside in even during the cold Connecticut winters. Sam Batchelor, Partner at designLAB architects, speaks to the design’s commitment to connecting with nature when he says, “Embracing biophilia posited a powerful proposal: That the architecture of the building itself—not just the programs it hosts—could positively impact mental and physical wellness.”

Functionally, the additional space that the Recreation and Wellness Center provides helps the university meet all its students’ needs in a single location. “The school had a fantastic vision for what this facility could be, and we were honored to help bring that vision to life,” says Kelly Ard, Partner at designLAB architects. In addition to the traditional fitness studios and cardiovascular equipment, the Recreation and Wellness Center also contains a demonstration kitchen to learn cooking skills, a smoothie bar, health care services, and individual and group counseling spaces. Within this single facility, students can exercise their body (including scaling the 27.5 foot, four-lane climbing wall), care for their mental wellbeing, or take a relaxing break in the native plant gardens or the Studio Zen room’s massage chair.

The technology incorporated throughout the building allows visitors to utilize the space to its fullest potential. Students can use the facility’s website to check the occupancy of specific areas in real time, helping them to plan their visits. Onsite, the equipment features QR codes that link to instructional videos, and the cardio equipment contains Bluetooth and phone-charging capabilities. Users can also monitor their progress by using the Matrix app and with the use of the Spivi app in the Spinning® studio.

While the facility’s unique design is remarkable, it’s also truly notable for the impact it’s had on Quinnipiac University’s student experience. After the Recreation and Wellness Center opened, the weekly number of visits increased by an impressive 300%. In a 2023 survey of incoming students, the facility was ranked as one of the top five reasons why students chose to attend the university. One of the award reviewers notes, “When aiming to boost enrollment, this facility would be my top choice to introduce any prospective student to.”

If you know of a facility that would be a good candidate for a 2025 Outstanding Facilities Award, applications will open this fall. As Salvatore says, “The Outstanding Facility Award provides an opportunity for broader sharing of how wellness center design continues to evolve to respond to the challenges that are shared at events like NIRSA conferences.”

NIRSA congratulates Quinnipiac University, designLAB, and S3 Design, Inc. on this innovative and impactful facility!