Athletic Business Announces 39th Annual Architectural Showcase
Montana State University's Student Wellness Center, designed by RDG, is among the 50 projects named in this year's showcase.
Athletic Business recently published the finalists in its 39th annual Architectural Showcase, highlighting 50 of the best recently constructed and renovated athletic, fitness and recreation facilities. Among the recognized projects is Montana State University’s Student Wellness Center, designed in partnership with RDG Planning & Design.
Located in Bozeman, Montana, Montana State University’s Student Wellness Center replaces the university’s previous campus fitness center, which suffered irreparable damage to its three primary gymnasium spaces when the roofs collapsed in 2019 under a heavy snow load. RDG’s design for the new space, which officially opened in August 2024, brings together campus recreation, university health partners, and the university’s health and human development program.
At its core, the design seeks to bridge new and existing spaces through a synergistic commons thoroughfare that unites users from all different walks of the wellness spectrum. Inspired by the richness and beauty of the Montana Front Range, the center also conveys a simultaneous message of togetherness and a celebration of individuality by unifying diverse materialities: the strength and unwavering durability of rock; the warmth and approachability of wood; and the vibrant, playful nature of nearby waterways.
Each of the 50 finalist facilities will be judged by a panel of leading sports, fitness and recreation facility architects and design specialists, with 10 projects selected as “Facilities of Merit,” recognized in the October issue of Athletic Business and honored at AB Show 2026 in November.