Lola and Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center

In April 2015, in an effort led by CU Denver’s Student Government Association, students voted in record numbers to pass a measure to increase student fees to fund a new student wellness center, approved in tandem by the CU Board of Regents. The realized building reflects a collective student vision and generous donor-funded state-of-the-art wellness facility that approaches wellness through the lens of physical and mental health. In addition to fitness facilities, the building has meditation rooms, a teaching kitchen, and resting areas designed to support the human dimensions of being Spiritual, Social, Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Financial, Sustainable, Diverse, Inclusive and Creative.

Located at a highly visible urban and campus intersection in close proximity to Downtown Denver, the building is designed around a central, iconic interior space and circulation spine aligned with Walnut Street, linking the building’s architecture to the campus “grain.” Along the building’s urban edge, a multi-story climbing spanning the building’s upper levels is enclosed in curtain wall, serving as a dynamic billboard of activity to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

The building also features fitness spaces, a 6 lane, 25-yard lap pool, 3 court gymnasium, and other notable features that expand the definition of “wellness” beyond physical fitness. A “commuter haven” student lounge provides students that do not live on campus with a dedicated place to work, rest, and recharge, eliminating the stress of finding a temporary landing pad between classes. The new building is already well-loved by students and has become an important landmark and amenity within the campus fabric, demonstrating how student-led initiatives have the potential to create long-term, impactful results within a campus community.

In collaboration with SmithGroup