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Seattle, Washington 98119
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Whitman Sherwood Athletic Center
classroom buildings face each other across a planted courtyard
Whitman Sherwood Athletic Center
an array of deep louvers and inset glass let in natural light while controlling glare and solar heat gain at the indoor climbing facility
Whitman Sherwood Athletic Center
daylight from a monumental skylight animates the student athlete gathering space, Hall of Fame, and reception to the athletic faculty offices
Whitman Sherwood Athletic Center
careful consideration for finishes and acoustic performance influenced the design of Whitman's new dance studios
Whitman Sherwood Athletic Center
the largest indoor climbing wall in the western US features full natural light and year-round natural ventilation for an exceptional climbing experience

Location Walla Walla, WA

Client Whitman College

Whitman Sherwood Athletic Center

The Whitman College Sherwood Athletic Center, originally built in 1968, no longer met the needs of the college’s athletic programs. This renovation and addition transformed the obsolete building into a state-of-the-art athletic facility of 80,000 sf. It created new faculty and administrative offices, new classrooms, intramural gyms, and a Hall of Fame for Whitman Athletics. The project also included a new indoor climbing facility with a bouldering area and an expansive variable terrain climbing wall, creating one of the largest indoor climbing gyms in the United States.  It provides a year-round indoor climbing experience without the need for air conditioning or artificial light and has greatly enhanced Whitman’s world class climbing program.

A Weinstein AU project.  Matt Aalfs: Project Manager / Project Architect; photos © Andrew Buchanan