Pan Athletic Center

Phillips Academy Andover, an independent secondary school, aimed to provide its students with a new, updated athletic facility to meet the school’s programmatic needs. The Pan Athletic Center project achieved significant time and cost savings by streamlining the campus masterplan through a design-build approach with phased renovations.

The athletic center strategically bridges the historic and contemporary buildings on campus, transitioning from traditional materials to modern metal and glass compositions. Historic brick and slate are used innovatively, and the key program elements — the natatorium, dance studios, Hall of Honor and entrance — are expressed individually within the massing of the new building.

The natatorium, the centerpiece of the athletic center, hosts large regional swim meets. Inclusive design elements are incorporated into the space via custom shades that accommodate the privacy of Muslim students when wearing swimwear. Abundant natural light streams into the pool area through a floor-to-ceiling glass curtainwall, enhancing the spectator experience. Adjacent to the natatorium are student locker rooms, including one that is all-gender. The natatorium employs a microturbine system for year-round heating, utilizing waste heat to cover hot water needs, resulting in significantly lower energy consumption compared to traditional heaters.

LEAD ARCHITECT

DiMella Shaffer

AQUATIC DESIGN CONSULTANT

South Shore Gunnite

COMPONENTS

• Competition pool with eight lap lanes (13 practice lanes)
• Moveable bulkhead
• Locker rooms
• Dance studios
• Wrestling facilities
• Athletics Hall of Honor

SUPPLIERS