Athletes Village is a transformational project for intercollegiate athletics at the University of Minnesota. The facility focuses on student athlete performance improvements on the field/court, in the classroom, and in life. The village is home for football and men's/women's basketball, providing those programs with practice, athletic training, strength and conditioning and nutrition areas, as well as offices, lounges, locker rooms and meeting rooms. The leadership institute is a national model for others, while the academic center and dining hall, private dining area and demonstration kitchen improve performance in the classroom and teach healthy lifestyles.
Athletes Village brings the day-to-day functions of a Division I student-athlete into one location. The adjacency of spaces between training, dining and education provides students the ability to maximize the efficiency of their daily process and traffic flow. Every design move has been shaped with a focus on recruiting and convenience.
The Football Performance Center with Indoor Football Practice Facility and Basketball Performance Center with Center for Excellence building components surround and enclose a champions plaza that accommodates watch parties, receptions, ice skating, fire pits, seating walls and synthetic turf lawn space. The addition of outdoor dining and sand volleyball create a campus “back yard” for all student-athletes.
The university desired transparency, cohesion and brand consistency across all village buildings, while celebrating the uniqueness of each sport. Interior design acts as a common thread woven through each building, yet tailored to each program, with a color palette infused with the Golden Gopher spirit.
Athletes Village
