Wade King Recreation Center
Western Washington University
The award-winning Wade King Student Recreation Center creates an inviting gateway to the south campus and establishes an architectural precedent for development of a new academic quad. It mediates between the athletic and academic precinct, establishing a language for future academic buildings while expressing the unique spatial qualities of recreational activity and social gathering.
Size: 91,500 sf
Location: Bellingham, WA
Stats: LEED Certified
Design Architect: Opsis Architecture
Executive Architect: BJSS/ Duarte Bryant
Awards:
2005, Washington Recreation & Parks Association, Award of Excellence
2004, AIA Portland, Citation Award
2004, Athletic Business Magazine, Facility of Merit
2004, Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association, Grand Award Winner
2004, NIRSA, Outstanding Facility Award
2003, Northwest Construction Magazine, Best of 2003
The Center offers a diversified mix of activity spaces interconnected through an open and visually dynamic organization.
Wade King is one of the first recreation centers in the nation to be LEED Certified, featuring effective daylighting, natural ventilation, concrete structure for thermal mass, integration of recycled and healthy materials and extensive water conservation efforts.
Opsis worked closely with students, recreation and University staff to integrate users’ needs while meeting the schedule and budget constraints. Interactive workshops, open campus forums and tours of similar facilities fostered an open atmosphere of collaboration and commitment to realize the inherent possibilities of the project.
