Field House and Wellness Center

This section will develop proposals for a Fieldhouse and Wellness Center to be integrated into the Midwest Concrete Materials (MCM) site, south of Fort Riley Boulevard at the south edge of the downtown core with connectivity to the Linear Trail and Kansas River. This project is an opportunity to design a multi-generational recreational center that serves the needs of the Manhattan and the larger regional community by providing space for sports tournaments, indoor and outdoor recreation, fitness and wellness amenities, community spaces, and special events. This project is developed in collaboration with and sponsorship by SFS Architecture in Kansas City. SFS has developed an expertise in this project typology enabling them to define an approach that holistically engages the host communities through engaging, year-round programming, in addition to the much-needed general recreational facilities. This studio will parallel these efforts; the collaborative design programming and challenges are positioned in terms of Manhattan and regional needs and the communities to be served, the opportunities to spark growth, and how the proposals may contribute to downtown Manhattan (extending the 4th Street development corridor, engaging the River and Trail).

Improve. Care. Connect.

The goal of this project is to design and develop a new fieldhouse and wellness center south of Downtown Manhattan that would be able to provide a new facility that benefits the greater Manhattan community. Through the design and development process, our team established this idea of Improve, Care, and Connect. These three ideas correspond with what we determined were areas that were lacking or nonexistent within the Manhattan community based on a foundational analysis and needs assessment. The idea behind Improve is to focus on both personal and community growth through fitness and other program such as a prep kitchen, juice bar, mini grocery store, etc. that provides for the community as a whole. The goal of Care is to promote personal wellbeing on both a physical and mental level by providing mental health and physical therapy services and spaces. The goal of Connect is for the building to connect with Downtown and the Manhattan area as a whole by housing the social and sport program of the “fieldhouse” side of the project. Together, these three ideas help to focus on development of a facility that would be successful both as a building itself, but also in providing for the community that it resides in.

Fieldhouse + Wellness Center

The fieldhouse and wellness center, situated between the Linear Trail and Fort Riley Boulevard, serves as the termination point of downtown Manhattan, Kansas. The paths that flow through the site connect hubs of interaction and activity, much like the way arteries are interconnected in our bodies. The central hub of the site, the pavilion, adapts to the needs of the community and provides a space for gathering. As the arteries approach a structure, their form becomes translated to the vertical plane. The main circulation path flows directly to the heart of the site, the building. The fieldhouse and natatorium flank a central atrium that services the community throughout all levels. The wellness center is located semi-privately on the second floor, with connection to the remaining community program. Additional recreational space is located on the third floor with views overlooking the Linear Trail and beyond to the Kansas River. An incline track allows for varied recreational experience and connection from the heart to the Linear Trail. From the Linear Trail, a pedestrian bridge can be accessed along Highway 177 that connects to downtown Manhattan.

2020 Interdisciplinary Collaborative Studio