Penn State University Basketball Facility Renovation

University Park, Pa.
Construction Cost: $3 million
Area / Square Feet: 8,200
Occupancy Date: January 2008

The goal of this project was to significantly enhance the image of the Penn State University basketball program. This phase involved the renovation, restructuring and expansion of the overall men’s and women’s basketball offices/recruiting environments and, consequently, the reorganization of the many athletic department spaces that share the same wing of the complex.

The new design is inspired by the flowing and dynamic nature of the sport itself, realized in curved movements and the application of basketball graphics and materials. The main lobby space is round like a basketball and layered with imagery of the sport, including curved glass trophy cases, dynamic historic imagery and a symbolic solid wood maple floor. The design eliminated a good portion of the solid walls that defined the original space and introduced translucent and textured glass demountable partitions to create an energetic atmosphere that is open, engaging and filled with natural daylight.

Main program elements include coaches’ offices, recruitment lounges, dedicated high-tech conference rooms, lobby/reception/entertainment spaces, video/media rooms and various other support spaces. The functional layout aligns all the main spaces to the perimeter to maximize occupants’ connection to daylight, which in turn reduces the need for artificial lighting at certain times of the day. The main student recruitment spaces, conference room and head coaches’ offices were oriented to align with views of the historic Nittany mountains to the south to create a larger sense of place.