Morphosis - Student Recreation Center

Morphosis
Student Recreation Center
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio

Drawing courtesy Morphosis

The building occupies a central location on the University Campus and has, as it’s primary task, the goal of integrating contrasting existing buildings and site conditions. Surrounding the site is the Football Stadium, The Main Pedestrian thoroughfare, and a large campus green. The project extends the unresolved open edges and weaves them together across the facility.

Drawing courtesy Morphosis

A folded roof-scape picks up the artificial green of the stadium and establishes the main spaces of the recreation facility. The edge of the stadium is repeated in the undulated shape of the housing component. This element forms the urban edge of the complex along the Main Street of the campus leading toward the campus green. Continuing the line of one of the main axes on Campus, the existing Field House is given a new facade, which encompasses the cooling towers and the convenience store at grade.

Drawing courtesy Morphosis

On the ground level three public pedestrian walkways through the facility allow access and insight to the various programmatic elements on the levels below and above. Main Street develops into a passage through the building’s main entrance lobby, passing a climbing wall and juice bar and inviting views up to the open fitness areas or down over the pools and the basketball gymnasium. Along the east, a “Walk of Fame” establishes a new access to the existing Varsity Basketball arena to the south.

Drawing courtesy Morphosis

The covered exterior path overlooks the new basketball gymnasium on the west and the remodeled multipurpose courts in the Field House to the east. To the North side of the stadium a bridge passes a set of new bleachers which create outside seating space at the entrance to the food court overlooking the field.

Drawing courtesy Morphosis

Three levels of student housing, organized in four-bedroom apartments, are lifted off the ground on pilotis and look out over the folded roofscape, the stadium, campus green and the activities along Main Street.

The 350,000 square feet building, part of the UC Master Plan, includes a Recreation Center with two 2 pools, basketball gymnasium, racquetball courts, multipurpose rooms, fitness and weight lifting areas), a Food Court, Student Housing (224 beds), a convenience store and varsity gymnasium facilities.

Morphosis Architects
Client: University of Cincinnati
Date of Design: 1999
Completion: 2004

Morphosis arcspace features





				Features
		Morphosis Student Recreation Center University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Drawing courtesy Morphosis The building occupies a central location on the University Campus and has, as it’s primary task, the goal of integrating contrasting existing buildings and site conditions. Surrounding the site is the Football Stadium, The Main Pedestrian thoroughfare, and a large campus green. The project extends the unresolved open edges and weaves them together across the facility. Drawing courtesy Morphosis A folded roof-scape picks up the artificial green of the stadium and establishes the main spaces of the recreation facility. The edge of the stadium is repeated in the undulated shape of the housing component. This element forms the urban edge of the complex along the Main Street of the campus leading toward the campus green. Continuing the line of one of the main axes on Campus, the existing Field House is given a new facade, which encompasses the cooling towers and the convenience store at grade. Drawing courtesy Morphosis On the ground level three public pedestrian walkways through the facility allow access and insight to the various programmatic elements on the levels below and above. Main Street develops into a passage through the building’s main entrance lobby, passing a climbing wall and juice bar and inviting views up to the open fitness areas or down over the pools and the basketball gymnasium. Along the east, a “Walk of Fame” establishes a new access to the existing Varsity Basketball arena to the south. Drawing courtesy Morphosis The covered exterior path overlooks the new basketball gymnasium on the west and the remodeled multipurpose courts in the Field House to the east. To the North side of the stadium a bridge passes a set of new bleachers which create outside seating space at the entrance to the food court overlooking the field. Drawing courtesy Morphosis Three levels of student housing, organized in four-bedroom apartments, are lifted off the ground on pilotis and look out over the folded roofscape, the stadium, campus green and the activities along Main Street. The 350,000 square feet building, part of the UC Master Plan, includes a Recreation Center with two 2 pools, basketball gymnasium, racquetball courts, multipurpose rooms, fitness and weight lifting areas), a Food Court, Student Housing (224 beds), a convenience store and varsity gymnasium facilities. Morphosis Architects Client: University of Cincinnati Date of Design: 1999 Completion: 2004 Morphosis arcspace features