The George Washington University
Washington, D.C.

ASG was selected by The George Washington University to provide a modern health and wellness facility for students, faculty members, and staff. The dense urban setting meant the site had numerous constraints, such as adjacent historic structures and limited land.

ASG designed the recreation facility and a 112-space parking garage to fit comfortably on the site, which demanded an unusual vertically organized solution. However, vibration concerns in this stacking design required a steel structure whose beams are considerably thicker, deeper, and heavier than generally needed to meet code.

Constraints from neighboring properties also were factors in the building's eventual shape and height. For one thing, the facility was placed farther below grade than originally planned and its height and mass reduced to ensure the stained glass windows of an adjacent historical church were not overly shaded. It also underwent rigorous zoning reviews by a Washington, D.C. commission.

The completed structure program includes:

• 25-yard pool
• Multi-court gymnasiums
• Suspended running track
• Free weight and exercise rooms
• Racquetball and squash courts
• Wellness office
• Locker rooms and offices

The architectural character is a contemporary reinterpretation of collegiate Georgian, while the massing serves as a symbolic gateway to the University in the city's Foggy Bottom neighborhood.

Completion: 2001
Size: 120,000 gsf building
         55,000 garage
Cost: $31 million