An artist's rendering of the front exterior of the new Natatorium

Give to the Bakke Center

The Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center will be the second building project of the Master Plan and the third project overall. Construction is currently underway and expected to complete in 2023. Learn more about the project here.

When the building opens, we anticipate an estimated 5,000 users per day from a variety of groups, including: students, faculty and staff, UW Health employees, community members, youth, and special event attendees. Leave a legacy and make your mark with one of the naming opportunities outlined below.

To learn more about making a gift, please contact Recreation & Wellbeing Director Aaron Hobson at aaron.hobson@wisc.edu.

Level 1

A floorplan of the new Natatorium with spaces numbered

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

1. Main Lobby

Size: 3,800 sq. ft.  |  Value: $500,000

Open area entrance with Member Services desks, Rugby Bucky, smoothie shop, and lounge areas.

2. Courts 1 & 2

Size: 13,831 sq. ft  |  Value: $1,250,000

Full-size basketball courts used for a variety of activities, visible from main lobby and from the street.

3. Classrooms

Size: 1,975 sq. ft  |  Value: $50,000 each

Two multipurpose rooms that can be combined into one larger classroom and be used for sport club practices and other events.

4. Sport Program Offices

Size: 457 sq. ft  |  Value: $25,000

Offices for our professional and student staff who work in intramural sports and sport clubs. Will be a destination for student athletes and participants.

5. Athletic Training Room

Size: 641 sq. ft.  |  Value: $150,000

Area for students (and in the future, all members) to receive athletic training services.

6. Fitness Space

Size: 29,256 sq. ft. (entire building) |  Value: $4,000,000 for all spaces 

Area for cardio and strength equipment, right off the main lobby.

Virtual rendering of the new Natatorium first floor fitness area

7. Aquatics Center

Size: 8,657 sq. ft.  |  Value: $2,000,000

A 25-yard pool for recreational swim, lessons, etc. Connected to locker rooms and main lobby area.

8. Courts 3 & 4

Size: 13,657 sq. ft.  |  Value: $1,250,000

Multipurpose activity courts (MAC) for a variety of sports, including basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, futsal, and batting cages.

Level 2

A floorplan of the new Natatorium with spaces numbered

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

1. Wellbeing Suite

Size: 3,900 sq. ft.  |  Value: $1,500,000

Hub for wellness programs like yoga, meditation, massage therapy, peer wellness coaching, etc. This area includes access to other areas for wellbeing programs: Mind-Body Studio, Recovery Room, Massage Therapy, and Consultation Rooms.

1a. Mind-Body Studio

Part of Wellbeing Suite
Size: 1,374 sq. ft.  |  Value: $200,000 

Multipurpose room that will be used for group fitness classes, meditation programs, and more.

Virtual rendering of the new Natatorium Mind-Body studio

1b. Restorative Room

Part of Wellbeing Suite
Size: 259 sq. ft.  |  Value: $150,000 

Room will initially have nap pods for student use.

A rendering of the Restorative Room in the new Natatorium

1c. Massage Therapy Rooms

Part of Wellbeing Suite
Size: 390 sq. ft.  |  Value: $10,000/room 

Three rooms for massage therapy.

1d. Consultation Rooms

Part of Wellbeing Suite
Size: 450 sq. ft.  |  Value: $10,000/room 

Four smaller meetings rooms for consultations, peer wellness coaching sessions, opportunities for collaborations with other campus partners.

2. Living Room

Size: 457 sq. ft.  |  Value: $100,000

Room available for small group programming and for students to study, spend time between classes. Area will have elements of the outdoors and a view of Willow Creek/Lake Mendota.

3. Fitness Space

Size: 29,256 sq. ft. (entire building)  |  Value: $4,000,000 for all spaces 

Cardio and strength equipment.

An architect's rendering of the fitness space at the new Natatorium

4. Admin Suite

Size: 8,690 sq. ft.  |  Value: $1,000,000

Office area for Recreation & Wellbeing professional and student staff.

An architect's rendering of the office space at the new Natatorium

5. Conference Room

Size: 727 sq. ft.  |  Value: $100,000

Executive conference room for Recreation & Wellbeing staff use.

An architect's rendering of the conference room in the new Natatorium

6. Lakeshore Terrace

Size: 2,287 sq. ft.  |  Value: $300,000

Deck on the back of the building with views of Lakeshore Path and Lake Mendota, available for programming and events.

7. Esports Space

Space: 354 sq. ft.  |  Value: $100,000

Room with technology to allow for Esports practice and competition.

A design rendering of the Esports space in the new Natatorium

Level 3

A floorplan of the new Natatorium with spaces numbered

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

1. Fitness Deck

Size: 6,500 sq. ft.  | Value: $500,000

Outdoor turf area for workouts, open recreation, etc. Looks out to Observatory Drive and front of building.

2. Performance Studio

Size: 2,000 sq. ft.  |  Value: $200,000

Studio built for Olympic lifting, functional strength workouts, etc. Includes indoor turf and doors that can open to the Fitness Deck.

3. Cycling Studio

Size: 800 sq. ft.  |  Value: $250,000

Group fitness studio for cycling classes.

4. Climbing Wall

Value: $1,000,000

Indoor climbing wall with space for bouldering. Will be a space for experiential education and training.

5. Studio in the Round

Size: 1,800 sq. ft.  | Value: $300,000

Unique circular multipurpose studio in a prominent area of the building. Will be used for group fitness classes.

Virtual rendering of the new Natatorium round studio

6. Fitness Space

Size: 29,256 sq. ft. (entire building)  |  Value: $4,000,000 for all spaces 

Cardio and strength equipment.

7. Courts 5 - 8

Size: 27,080 sq. ft.  |  Value: $2,500,000

Four full-size basketball courts that can be used for a variety of programs. Also includes spectator seating.

Level 4

A floorplan of the new Natatorium with spaces numbered

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

1. Multipurpose Studio

Size: 1,800 sq. ft.  |  Value: $200,000

Multipurpose studio built for group fitness classes like Zumba, HIIT, Yoga, Group Strength, etc.

2. Fitness in the Round

Size: 1,800 sq. ft.  |  Value: $200,00

Open area above the Studio in the Round used for open recreation and some small group programming.

3. Fitness Space

Size: 29,256 sq. ft. (entire building)  |  Value: $4,000,000 for all spaces 

Cardio and strength equipment.

4. Sport Simulators

Size: 1,258 sq. ft.  |  Value: $200,000

Area with three bays for sport simulators that can also be used for watch parties and other events.

5. Track

Size: 8,182 sq. ft.  |  Value: $1,500,000

Indoor track that is 1/5 (long loop) or 1/8 (shorter loop) of a mile; goes throughout Level 4 and looks down to Level 3, Courts 5 – 8.