UA HIGH RISE | HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER

Located in the arts district of downtown Tucson, the site for U.A. High Rise exists in a tenuous area, both congested with vehicular traffic and under serving on pedestrian thoroughfares. The project starts by reacting to these present conditions on site, in a move to strike harmony with the natural and social environment that surround the space. To give back to the block, and give presence to the building’s place in the arts district, the first-floor lobby space is meant to be almost completely transparent. This transparency is achieved through a simplification of the ground floor structure through use of a transfer table and glass curtain wall. The building also pushes back from 6th street and provides a sunken entry upon arrival to provide refuge from the busy thoroughfare. The interior of the building is organized using a layered approach, consisting of a perforated envelope or skin, interior programmatic space, and a series of atriums or veins, which allow for vertical circulation, airflow, and light that penetrate deep into the core of the building. The program for the building, which consists of a variety of different workout spaces, is organized to provide camaraderie and privacy where appropriate. Each work out level is surrounded by a glass accordion wall system, allowing visitors a view to the exterior, and the possibility to move both equipment and classes to the shaded outdoor viewing deck.