Bradley Renaissance Coliseum Bradley University

Peoria, Ill.
Construction Cost: $51.1 million
Area / Square Feet: 165,200
Occupancy Date: August 2010

The Bradley Renaissance Coliseum replaces Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse, which stood on the same site for more than 60 years. While Robertson held many memories of storied Bradley athletic teams, it was woefully inadequate in terms of practice space, training facilities and student-athlete amenities.

This new facility contains a 4,200-seat performance arena for women's basketball and volleyball, a 20,000-square-foot practice facility for men's basketball, a hospitality room overlooking both courts, athletic administration and coaching offices for all sports, film and meeting rooms, athletic training facilities, a hall of fame, retail space and a ticket office. Care was taken to find design cues that recalled the storied past of the building's predecessor. Visitors are greeted with a soaring skylit lobby filled with Bradley athletics references. Large-scale graphics, dark woods and the color red are featured prominently.

The building exterior harmonizes with the surrounding campus buildings, including the recently completed Markin Family Student Recreation Center. Using the university guideline materials of limestone or precast, detailing is consistent with all new campus buildings. A curved roof serves as a remembrance of the Robertson Fieldhouse and as a visual cue to the campus.