Located in Central Brooklyn, the new Athletic Center at CUNY Medgar Evers College welcomes students and community alike. The design enhances a sense of openness while conveying the MEC athletic school colors and the athletic ideals of grace, speed and strength. A new “floating” canopy is designed to be highly visible, serving as an iconic gateway to the Center. The glass fronted lobby transforms a formerly dingy space by maximizing natural light and offering visual connections between the interior and exterior. Colorful graphics and back-lit displays expresses the MEC athletics’ brand while drawing people in from the street. A new open stair provides a direct connection from the lobby to the Fitness Center and brings natural light to the lower lobby. The Fitness Center features an existing concrete waffle slab which is revealed and dramatically lit. The branding concept is carried throughout the Center, including areas that are often overlooked. Lighting and the MEC team colors in the locker rooms convey a sense of drama and excitement that supports the experience of student athlete’s mental preparation for big games. In Design, Expected Completion 2018.