Interior design decisions next step for Rec Center

As construction on the new student recreation center continues at a steady pace, decisions for the interior design and finishes are also being undertaken.

According to Ernest Tipton, community planning manager for Facilities and Planning Services at PSU, a committee made up of students, faculty, university staff and building-ownership representatives initially tackled the task of choosing the thousands of design choices for the recreation center.

“A key element of the submittal requirement was physical samples of all major interior and exterior materials proposed,” Tipton said. The selection committee also evaluated many other factors, including balancing the quantity and quality of materials proposed, Tipton said.

Yost Grube Hall Architecture was selected by the committee to head the design on the project.

“We have purposely tried to limit ‘finishes’ and expose the building structure, including the mechanical and electrical systems.” said Yost Grube Hall architect Miles Woofter.

Woofter explained that refined finishes, such as fir walls, ceiling and cabinetry, will offset the rawness of the exposed systems.

“One of our sustainable strategies is ‘less is more,'” Woofter said.

The exposed systems of the building will also be contrasted by the suspended ceiling tile and gypsum wallboards, Woofter said. Woofter also noted that athletic flooring is a significant component of the recreation areas and includes three different applications of rubber flooring at the multi-athletic court, rock climbing gym and weight training areas.

Now that construction is underway, a design build team has been formed to handle the ongoing decisions about what finishes will make it into the building. Tipton explained that the design team, with critical oversight by the university, will continue to meet with stakeholders and groups that will occupy the building in order to look for ways to improve the project within budget guidelines and deadlines.

A notable feature that has spawned from the design build team will be the swimming pool. The pool, which will occupy the second floor, will be manufactured and imported from Italy, according to Scott Gallagher, director of communications for PSU.

The six-lane athletic swimming pool is being built by Myrtha, the same company that provided the swimming pool for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

“Myrtha pools are a new technology that is not currently manufactured in America,” Gallagher said. Gallagher said that the Myrtha pools provide better leak protection and are also lighter in weight than domestically produced swimming pools.

“Based on these factors, using the [Myrtha] pool system was a less expensive and superior alternative,” Gallagher said.

Gallagher added that subject to city approval, PSU will begin occupying the recreation center in September of 2009, and will continue to occupy space up through the building as work is completed. The goal is to have the building fully occupied by winter 2010.

To learn more about the new recreation center, including updates through the rec center construction blog, you can visit the Campus Recreation Web site at www.pdx.edu/recreation.