Offering a six-lane, 300-meter indoor track with nine sprint lanes, the Laker Turf Building was designed to serve as one of the Midwest’s premier competition indoor track and field venues. The track surrounds a 100-yard field that serves the university’s athletics and intramural programs alike.
Though maintaining an uncomplicated feel, the long-span building is structurally complex and positioned to maximize available sunlight. Sustainable attributes include a geothermal heat pump that controls floor temperature, photovoltaic solar panels that provide 20 kilowatts of electricity, and 3,000 square feet of solar paneling on the building’s south wall that warms air before it is introduced to the HVAC system. Stormwater is managed with a 9,000-square-foot rain garden/retention pond system that collects the runoff from the massive roof to irrigate the adjacent athletic fields.
The clean, simple silver metal wall and roof panels, along with oversized block walls, help reduce the massive feel of the facility. With a check-in desk at the main entrance and multipurpose rooms, lockers, showers and a training room on the lower level, the building takes advantage of the open design. The main level boasts spectator seating as well as the Laker Wall of Fame. Durable, practical interior block masonry is finished in GVSU’s blue and white colors.
Newcastle Community Centre
