Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Coe College: Athletic and Recreational Complex

  • 05/01/18
Coe College

PHOTOS © MARK BALLOGG, COURTESY OF DEWBERRY

A transformative $18 million renovation and expansion project has created a dynamic new student venue for fitness and recreation on the north quad of the Coe College campus in Cedar Rapids, IA. The ambitious project modernized the 1930s-era Eby Fieldhouse and incorporated new multipurpose courts and locker rooms within the historic structure. New construction included a 2,000-seat performance arena, an athletic weight room, a wrestling space and fitness area, and a fitness bridge that extends across College Drive and connects to the existing Clark Racquet Center.

Dewberry, as the architectural, interior design, and structural engineering consultant, was challenged with three primary objectives: provide each Coe College athlete with a dedicated locker space, increase the amount of court space for practices and intramurals, and better utilize the existing buildings. The resourceful solution included a wrap-around, 70,000-square-foot addition that hides an aged but still functional 1970s-era natatorium along the eastern side of the fieldhouse. The cohesive design gives prominence to the investment in the new addition, and creates a vibrant network of student resources that proudly displays the Kohawk spirit.

The project provided the opportunity to establish two new main entrances to the complex. Along the southern façade, facing the campus, a three-story glass cube was inserted between the new weight room and the wrestling space and fitness center. The entrance serves as an illuminated focal point for students and affords clear views to the branding inside. Along the eastern façade, a large angled canopy welcomes crowds into the upper concourse of the new arena. The bridge over College Drive enables the fitness space to flow from the new fieldhouse addition into the racquet center and allows the athletic facilities to function together. The prominent location of the addition and the glass-enclosed bridge serve as a visible expression of the college’s ongoing commitment to athletic programs.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management May 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.