Student Wellness Center at Montana State University

Project Description:

In the spring of 2019, three primary gymnasium spaces at Montana State University’s campus fitness center were damaged beyond repair when the roofs collapsed under a heavy snow load.  By fall 2019, plans began for a new wellness center. The process was deeply participatory, engaging 1,700 students and faculty and collecting over 5,400 votes through a creative coffee-bean voting system to establish core wellness priorities. This resulted in a vision that went beyond simply repairing and replacing the damaged facilities to creating a facility that brings together Campus Recreation, University Health Partners, and Health and Human Development.  Inspired by the richness and beauty of the Montana Front Range, the new Student Wellness Center is influenced by the strength and unwavering durability of rock, the warmth and approachability of wood, and the vibrant, playful nature of the front range waterways. These fundamental influencers unify the diverse user groups into a cohesive assembly of spaces conveying a message of togetherness while celebrating individuality.  The warmth of the wood, the strength of board-form precast and the refined rustic nature of zinc metal panels seek to create a sense of place that is contextually inspired. At its core, the parti seeks to bridge new and existing spaces through a synergistic commons thoroughfare that unites users from all different walks of the wellness spectrum.