NIRSA Facility Feature: McMaster University Pulse Fitness Centre and The Hub
NIRSA’s 2025 Outstanding Facilities Awards, sponsored by Mondo, highlight the innovative facilities recently developed by NIRSA institutional members to enhance collegiate recreation programs. This year, one of the recipients of these esteemed awards was the McMaster University Pulse Fitness Center and The HUB.
Designed by MJMA Architecture & Design, these spaces provide a central location for student activities, with amenities that appeal to the diversity of interests among the McMaster student body. Ted Watson from MJMA shared information about how the project came to be: “The new facility is managed by the McMaster Students Union, so gaining student buy-in was essential. A previous expansion plan failed due to low approval in an MSU referendum, which meant that we had to take a more inclusive approach for this project. Extensive engagement with students, recreation, and student life representatives shaped the final program. These efforts ultimately led to a successful referendum!”
The Pulse Fitness Centre
The renovated and expanded Pulse Fitness Centre reopened in December 2022 and has quickly become a vibrant hub for student life at McMaster University, welcoming over 700,000 visits annually. Designed with both functionality and aesthetics in mind, the facility features an open-concept architectural layout that maximizes natural light and creates an inviting, energetic atmosphere for members.
The expanded cardio level spans more than 4,000 square feet, equipped with premium machines from Concept2, Stairmaster, Life Fitness, Woodway, and Precor. This includes treadmills, ellipticals, Arc Trainers, rowers, ski-ergs, air bikes, recumbent and upright bikes, and step mills, offering diverse options for cardiovascular training.
On the first floor, the weight training area boasts over 7,000 square feet of resistance equipment from Hammer Strength and Atlantis Fitness. Members have access to:
- Single-station machines for every major muscle group
- Free weights (dumbbells ranging from 5 to 130 lbs)
- Olympic powerlifting platforms
- Universal cable machines
- Accessible multi-station equipment for individuals with disabilities
A dedicated Women’s Only fitness area provides a safe and inclusive space, featuring squat racks, free weights, cable machines, cardio equipment, and open floor space, complemented by an adjacent women’s-only fitness studio.
The Pulse also showcases architectural highlights such as a state-of-the-art, three-story climbing wall, which serves as a striking centerpiece and a unique recreational offering. On the third floor, two brand-new fitness studios and a cycling studio provide over 2,000 square feet of flexible space with wood floors, mirrored walls, and floor-to-ceiling glass panels on two sides. These studios host group fitness classes and open-use sessions, equipped with BOSU balls, steps, body bars, and more to keep workouts dynamic and engaging.
With its modern design, cutting-edge equipment, and inclusive spaces, the Pulse Fitness Centre is more than just a gym—it is a vibrant community hub that supports health, wellness, and social connection for McMaster students.
The HUB, which opened in 2023, was created as the result of student requests to have more on-campus space for eating, studying, and gathering with peers. Its name reflects the intention for the space to serve as the center of on-campus student life. The design team’s goals included centralizing the space on McMaster’s campus, incorporating student life and wellness services into the same building with athletics and recreation, and offering a variety of amenities that would appeal to all students, including those who aren’t athletes.
The HUB is designed around a two-level, central atrium with a central staircase to encourage accessing the building’s amenities on foot. The atrium was designed to maximize the use of natural light and boast ample seating, including bleachers with charging ports, to encourage informal gatherings. Ted notes, “The central atrium was inspired by Victorian horseshoe concert venues that the student government was excited about. A snaky stair ascends and contributes to the viewing and theatrics below, creating spaces for students to run into one another.”
In addition to the traditional fitness center offerings, located around the atrium are other features and services which were specifically requested by students during the planning process. These include:
- A nap lounge with adjustable chairs
- A community kitchen which hosts cooking workshops and a campus food bank
- Board game checkout
- Collaboration suites which can be reserved for meetings and gatherings
- The Blue Lounge entertainment space
- Multi-faith prayer rooms
One of the award application reviewers notes, “The intentionality of detail, from the structural design to sustainability and technology, makes this project special. These elements may not be what students recognize day-to-day, but the impact appears to be measurable.” With an estimated 2,400 visits per day, The HUB is meeting students’ needs and has realized its goal of becoming the center of student life at McMaster.
Congratulations to McMaster University and MJMA Architecture & Design for their collaboration resulting in this outstanding facility!
About the Outstanding Facilities Award
Nominations for the 2026 Outstanding Facilities Awards are currently being reviewed. The 2026 Outstanding Facilities Award recipients will be recognized on NIRSA’s website, in news articles, and at the NIRSA 2026 Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
See all the 2025 award winning facilities
In addition to McMaster University’s Pulse Fitness Centre and The Hub, three other facilities were decorated with the NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award in 2025. Check them out:
Thanks to our sponsor
NIRSA appreciates the longtime support of this prestigious industry award from Mondo. Fitness training flooring requirements vary based on the intensity and frequency of use, plus the goals that athletes set for themselves. Mondo has designed a complete line of flooring products that enable fitness centers to customize all parts of their facilities. From rubber surfaces to interlocking systems and parquet flooring, each product is designed in response to the biomechanics of calisthenics, running, weightlifting and other types of training.
- For more information, contact NIRSA Member Engagement Manager, Natasha Fischer.