Project Description
The new Student Fitness Center welcomes the Everett community to campus and invites all to enjoy and participate in the colorful cacophony of sports activities within. Anchoring Everett Community College’s eastward expansion, the building symbolizes a dynamic environment that has long been hidden from its neighbors. Expanses of curtain wall and sliding doors, along with playful compositions of spherical lights at each entry beckon visitors inside. The main gym, economically clad with an insulated metal composite panel system, parallels a nearby thoroughfare at an angle to the larger campus and city grid, which is acknowledged by the lower brick-wrapped support spaces. Their juxtaposition is revealed within the double-high space that separates them. Light-filled and open, it houses the sights and sounds of sport, while crisscrossing stairs and bridges lead the way to numerous options. Views from the various vantage points connect the most distant corners of the building and permit staff to monitor activity throughout from one control desk. A simple palette of natural materials, including boards from the old EvCC gym floor for wall cladding, is accented by a bright ribbon of color that traces circulation paths. Linear and unit skylights and vertical glazing allow daylight into every occupied space. In much of the building, passive ventilation with operable windows and relief penthouses eliminates the need for ductwork. Additionally, automatic windows respond to CO2 levels to insure healthful air independent of user control. The building is currently under review by the USGBC and expected to achieve LEED Gold certification.