S3 Design collaborated with Ayers Saint Gross to provide athletics and recreation planning and consulting for the development of the Campus Master Plan for Catholic University. As a result of the facility and needs assessment, it became clear that the focus of the planning effort needed to be the development of recreational program spaces for the university community as a whole. In addition, the location of the Athletics and Recreation precinct needed better pedestrian connections to integrate the programs and connect them back to campus. The plan recommendations include expanding the existing DuFour Center to provide a dedicated space for Recreation and Intramural programs.

The expanded program leverages its adjacency to athletics to strengthen school spirit while creating a more welcoming and engaging experience for casual recreation users in an area of campus that has traditionally felt less accessible to non-athletes. The addition establishes a new front door for the Athletics and Recreation Complex and serves as the focal destination connected by a new pedestrian bridge to campus. Inside, the new lobby functions as a shared Athletics and Recreation gallery- organizing the programs while creating experiential connections between them and extending the arrival sequence to the outdoor field venues.