By Sarah Klein
The University of Manitoba’s Active Living Centre (UMANITOBA.CA)
WINNIPEG — The University of Manitoba’s Active Living Centre has won the prestigious North American design award.
The award comes from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), which praised the centre for being a “facility that demonstrates excellence in a number of critical areas, including architectural design, functionality, and how well the facility meets its intended purpose.”
It’s the first time a Canadian building has won the award since 1988.
The 100,000-square-foot facility on the U of M’s Fort Garry campus was designed by Cibinel Architects Ltd. and Batteriid Architects. It boasts a 12-metre climbing wall, an elevated 200-metre running track, and over 1,000 pieces of free weights and accessories. A research centre, strength and conditioning facilities, and three group workout studios complete the LEED Silver targeted facility.
“The Active Living Centre is indeed a pride point for our faculty, university, and community,” said Douglas Brown, Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management.
“We believe it serves as a catalyst of health and well-being for our students, faculty, staff, and community as a whole.”
