Kahler Slater is partnered with UW-Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System to design a destination for wellness, events, and recreation for the entire Eau Claire community. Located on the scenic Chippewa River, the Sonnentag Centre will meet the entertainment, wellness and health needs of the community. The facility will include a 5,100 seat Event Center for concerts and sporting events, a 100 yard synthetic turf fieldhouse, full fitness center with views of the river, academic space for UW-Eau Claire’s kinesiology program, and a Mayo Clinic Health System sports medicine and imaging clinic. The clinic is designed to allow for enhanced collaboration between the University recreation and academic programs and the Mayo Clinic Health System.

The design is inspired by the vast history of the site. From logging and ice harvesting to manufacturing, the site on the Chippewa River has been a vital piece of Eau Claire and the collaborative project will ensure this holds true for years to come. With the history as inspiration, the material palette includes heavy timber structure, local limestone, and ample transparency to provide a nod to the past and a glimpse to the future for the Sonnentag Centre.

Kahler Slater is the lead design architect and is teamed with local firm Ayres Associates to provide full programming, planning and design.