Winston-Salem State University
Student Activities Center

Background

The Donald Julian Reaves Student Activities Center (SAC) was constructed in response to the continued growth and campus enhancement efforts of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). The campus was missing a sense of home and community, and the existing fitness room was cramped, with only 15 workout stations and a complete absence of natural light.

Challenge

WSSU wanted to establish a signature campus identity and create a welcoming location to engage in wellness activities. The desired SAC needed to address the needs of students, staff and community members.

Additionally, the SAC needed to better suit the current campus demographics. The predominantly female population was not well served by the existing facility layout and equipment.

Solution

Woolpert’s design team canvassed the WSSU students, staff and community, and designed the SAC as a fusion space. This hybrid facility combines the amenities and conveniences of a traditional student union with those of a state-of-the-art recreation center.

The design also addressed the specific needs of the female population with more comfortable and varied fitness spaces. The new facility incorporates spacious workout stations, group fitness rooms and naturally lit indoor basketball courts into a welcoming and appealing space for all users.

Additionally, we examined seemingly conflicting objectives—openness and security, community interaction and safety, liability and law enforcement—and we designed the SAC to meet all of them. The design includes both free and controlled zones to provide a balance between community access and user safety.