Texas A&M University’s Southside Recreation Center is a great example of how colleges and universities can rethink recreation facilities as essential pieces of the student experience. Designed by SmithGroup and opened in 2022, the facility was developed to help relieve the growing demand for fitness and recreation space on a campus serving one of the nation’s largest student populations.

Located directly across from major residence halls, the Southside Rec Center provides more than 63,000 square feet of indoor recreation space, along with approximately 15,000 square feet outdoors. Amenities include a 23,000-square-foot strength and conditioning area, multi-sport courts, a bouldering wall, fitness and multipurpose space, indoor and outdoor turf areas, and sand volleyball courts.

The project also demonstrates how thoughtful siting and design can increase student use. NIRSA reported that the facility was attracting more than 14,000 visits per week and that 90% of students living in adjacent residence halls had used it. 

This video offers a useful look at how campus recreation planning can address enrollment growth, facility capacity, student accessibility, wellness, and engagement simultaneously. The award-winning project illustrates how recreation centers are increasingly being designed not simply as places to exercise, but as highly visible campus hubs where students can gather, connect, recharge, and build a stronger sense of belonging.