A Campus Gateway to Health and Wellness

A new Wellness Center on the AUM campus enhances the student life experience with fitness options for all levels of users.

Reflecting the energy and movement of exercise, the facility’s innovative “stretch and bend” design concept creates a dynamic gathering place for students to exercise and socialize. The building’s striking glazed facade, reflecting pool and orientation create a dramatic campus entrance.

Fitness “neighborhoods” add intimacy to the large facility and help all types of users find a place where they feel comfortable. The design provides special areas for quiet study or impromptu gatherings.

Warm wood tones, natural light and high-impact environmental graphics contribute to the creation of a welcoming environment that supports health and wellness.

State-of-the-art fitness amenities include a gymnasium, elevated running track, rock climbing wall, cardio and weight training spaces, and group fitness studios. The indoor natatorium opens to an outdoor garden and patio that create connectivity with the rest of the campus. Classrooms, multipurpose spaces, faculty offices and two human performance laboratories for physiological research support Auburn’s holistic approach to wellness.

Targeting LEED certification, the facility features bioswales and a reflecting pool that capture rainwater for the surrounding landscape. Great care was given to preserve the natural setting, which includes a 100-year-old oak tree and other mature trees. The use of sustainably harvested wood for the structure, roll-up doors for additional ventilation and ample daylighting contribute to the health of the interior environment.

HOK designed the project in collaboration with Infinity Architecture.