Florida International University – Recreation CenterMiami, Florida

  • Consists of a multi-phased project
  • Provides a gymnasium, basketball and volleyball courts, racquetball courts, health and wellness areas, administrative areas, campus support, and other recreation support areas
  • Phases I and II contain 58,000 and 99,500 sf
  • Phase I prescribes a tall volume two-court gym for intramural and recreational sports
  • The main entry lobby, a two-story volume, is centrally located between the basketball courts and a fitness area for weight equipment and aerobic machines
  • The mezzanine located above provides area for mechanical equipment, restrooms, and two multi-purpose group fitness rooms for aerobics classes
  • The third major area is a two-story structure utilized for fitness activities that has a transparent wall with a view to the west
  • The primary structural system consists of precast keystone joists supporting a concrete slab poured monolithically with the columns
  • Long span steel joists support a concrete slab on metal deck and are used to span across the basketball courts
  • DeSimone utilized a shallow foundation system and exterior walls of eight-inch masonry combined with glazed surfaces