色情视频's Aztec Recreation Center Wins 2023 NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award
The newly completed ARC was one of seven universities nationwide to win the award.
With its sustainable and cutting-edge design, 鈥�&苍产蝉辫; has received the 2023 Outstanding Facilities Award from NIRSA, a collegiate recreation organization.
According to the , the 鈥淣IRSA Outstanding Facilities Awards recognize the innovative designs of new, renovated or expanded collegiate recreational facilities.鈥� The newly expanded and renovated ARC was one of seven facilities chosen for the award by the selection committee.
鈥淭o receive this recognition on a national level is a testament to all the hard work, creativity and teamwork that went into this project,鈥� said A.S. Associate Executive Director and Aztec Recreation Director Mark Zakrzewski. 鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of this great team effort.鈥�
To qualify for the award, the facility had to demonstrate excellence in a number of areas, including architectural design and functionality while creating an experience desired and valued by students.
The entire process of designing and building the ARC, which began in 2017, relied heavily on the student voice. Students were involved in feasibility studies, touring other campus recreation facilities to get ideas for the project. They were also instrumental in guiding the facility鈥檚 color scheme and advocating for gender-neutral restrooms and larger privacy areas among other features.
Lauren Samidi, 2022-23 A.S. Recreation and Wellness commissioner, said student interest in expanded recreation facilities fueled a successful 2018 referendum for a fee to finance the renovation and expansion. 鈥淪tudents were in those conversations on designing, planning and creating the ARC because the building is for them,鈥� she said.
Zakrzewski believes the combination of sustainable elements and the overall design of the building were primary reasons the ARC won the award. In January 2023, the ARC received , the highest recognition in sustainable design and construction.
The building is all electric, not running on any fossil fuels, and is a prime example for the future of sustainable construction. In addition, the facility boasts innovative design elements, including clerestory sawtooth windows, a hot yoga room, two Olympic lifting spaces and a quiet lounge.
Of the many sustainable elements in the building, the rain and condensate water system is a favorite feature of A.S. Associate Director of Facilities and Sustainability Reginald Cabanilla.
鈥淲e have this really amazing rain and condensate water capture system where all the water is collected and reused inside of the facility,鈥� Cabanilla said. 鈥淲e capture all of our site rainwater and our condensate water that is produced by our HVAC equipment, treat it and then you don鈥檛 see the water until you flush the toilet. It saves a lot of water and that鈥檚 super important for an environment like ours where water is finite.鈥�
The combination of student input, analyzing trends in collegiate recreation and the fitness industry and leading the conversation on sustainable building ultimately led to the award-winning building for current and future generations of 色情视频 students.
The ARC is the only West Coast facility to win the 2023 award. include the University of Massachusetts Amherst鈥檚 Recreation Turf Fields and Florida Gulf Coast University鈥檚 Rec Deck.
In addition to the national recognition, the ARC鈥檚 impact is validated even more by its usage. Zakrzewski believes an important illustration of the facility鈥檚 success is the increase in daily visits, which have nearly doubled compared to before the expansion and renovation.
鈥淥ur team put in so much time, effort, strategic planning and dedication for the wellness of students,鈥� Samidi said. 鈥淩eceiving this recognition means so much because this award shows we were able to accomplish that.鈥�
