Appalachian State University Student Recreation Center
location: Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina
opened: 2006
Perched on a hillside above campus, the ASU Student Recreation Center is filled with natural light and offers views of the surrounding mountains. The facility includes weight-training and fitness rooms, and a suspended running track that overlooks the four-court gymnasium. The 50-meter pool (lower right) employs a peninsula to separate lap and leisure pool areas. The four-story climbing wall (right) located in its own tower affords dramatic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.