Positioned between the Alumni Gymnasium and the Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building, the project introduces approximately 8,500-square-feet of fitness and well-being spaces overlooking the campus Library Quad as well as renovations to the existing Alumni Gymnasium. By bridging two existing structures, the design both expands and reorganizes the college’s athletics infrastructure while introducing recreation and wellness to the campus core, and reinforcing the pedestrian experience at a key crossroads. 

Bridging Athletics with Contemporary Well-Being

The architectural design concept centers around connection. Rather than a new standalone facility, the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center is conceived as a connective element that links two historic athletics buildings into a cohesive wellness and fitness hub. 

The addition forms a transparent bridge between the Alumni Gymnasium and the Gray Athletics Building, transforming a fragmented edge of campus into a destination for fitness and recreation. The addition becomes the new front door of the group of buildings, providing a welcoming and accessible entry to both sides of campus. This approach preserves Bates’ historic athletics buildings while introducing contemporary spaces that reflect evolving approaches to health and well-being. 

Designing for Transparency and Light 

The design prioritizes openness and visibility to encourage participation and make wellness an everyday part of campus life. Expansive glazing frames views to the quad while allowing daylight to permeate interior fitness spaces, reinforcing a sense of energy and activity within the building.

This transparency transforms exercise into a visible, shared experience. Students moving through the quad glimpse activity inside, while those working out maintain a visual connection to the surrounding campus landscape. The architecture blurs the boundary between interior wellness space and the broader campus environment.

Internally, the center significantly expands Bates’ capacity for recreation and training, more than doubling the available fitness space for the campus community. The facility supports both structured athletic training and informal exercise, allowing for improved workouts for all while reflecting the college’s holistic approach to well-being. 

Renovating Beloved Program Spaces

Sasaki’s design reimagines the beloved Alumni Gymnasium at Bates College as a renewed athletics hub and competition venue. The project includes necessary infrastructure updates and will enhance the vibrant atmosphere of the much-loved athletics facility. 

Beneath the gym, strategic renovations make responsible use of existing space and increase overall utilization by providing better amenities with new and restored locker rooms for 11 teams, student-athlete lounges, sport medicine, and essential spaces that support daily athletic life. 

At the competition level, a refreshed basketball court is paired with a new mezzanine that introduces offices, meeting rooms, and a row of spectator seating, enhancing both functionality and the fan experience. A new connector, along with concessions and a welcoming reception area, improves circulation and creates a more cohesive arrival sequence in this central campus location. The addition also makes the gymnasium fully accessible and significantly improves access for all users while elevating spectator accommodations and increasing the intensity for games in the historic venue. 

A New Campus Hub for Everyday Well-Being

Beyond its programmatic role, the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center acts as a social and spatial hinge within the Bates campus. The Library Quad is an important axis through campus, intersecting academic, residential, and athletics precincts. The Center’s location will be an important draw for a growing student body and future student housing, inviting students to integrate movement into the rhythm of daily life.