Illinois State University – Student Fitness Center

The fitness center is like the Nova Corps: It looks pretty and shiny, but once you get inside and look around you realize it’s a bit of a wreck.
Situated on the west side of ISU’s campus, its exterior is aesthetically pleasing. A lovely flyover of University St. and interesting lines, it’s a cool piece of architecture. However, as you get inside you start to get really depressed, and are tacitly encouraged not to ever consider hiring any of ISU’s engineering or architecture graduates. For all of its space, the rec is laid out like an erratic 4-​year old planned it. Some nautilus equipment is here, other equipment is on the other side of the building. Some aerobic equipment is at the far end of the 1/​8-​mile track, other equipment is 3 floors below. Too narrow a space with too little ability to organize eqiupment has rendered the workout areas disjunct and too spaced. The electronics (WiFi and the TVs on some of the aerobic machines) are often malfunctioning. The locker rooms were designed and laid out without any forethought or planning: Lockers jamed into 90-​degree corners so that users have to stand 5-​abreast while changing in a confined space, no ventilation leaving it humid by mid-​day, and with the weight room above so that anyone showering or changing feels they are doing so amid the siege of Kabul. For what was supposed to be the pride of ISU, it becomes a craphole of a place upon cursory inspection. To its credit, it is cheap (about $ 20/​month membership for faculty/​staff, «included» via fees for enrolled students) and readily accessible albiet with no available parking. Really a testament to a lack of beta testing, forethought, or concern for long term usability, its the only option on-​campus, so its monopoly means it can get away with much more than a competitive market; but while architecturally interesting the fitness center doesn’t rival the quality or interior aesthetics of even nearby Illinois Weslyan or schools in ISU’s weight class.