Indoor Athletic Facility | Washburn University

Washburn University’s multipurpose athletic facility is designed to assist the university in the recruitment and development of top student-athletes. This indoor facility includes a 110-yard practice field and an adjacent 200-meter banked indoor track, which is the first of its kind for a Division II school. 

Working with the athletics staff and coaches to identify their practice and competition needs, the design team discovered that separate track and turf spaces would best accommodate the athletic department. The two separate spaces eliminate conflicts and simplify scheduling and concurrent use of the facility. The addition of this track will help the university expand its track and field program, allowing for the hosting of home meets, as well as regional and national meets. Additionally, the university will utilize the facility as a large assembly space and for university-sponsored summer camps. 

Designers explored roof options, massing and orientation of the facility and how it would best fit into campus and the surrounding neighborhood, taking into consideration the adjacent baseball stadium, softball stadium and academic buildings. Ultimately, the design takes advantage of its footprint and the sloped site — the building is stepped down the site to reduce its mass from campus and the neighborhood. 

This 140,000-square-foot indoor athletic facility provides Washburn University’s football team with a 110-yard synthetic turf field, which its shares with the Ichabods’ soccer, baseball and softball teams for year-round practice and athlete development. Together the practice turf and competition track show a commitment to the university’s track and field program and give the university a huge student-athlete recruiting advantage to all sports.

ARCHITECT OF RECORD

Schwerdt Design Group

Topeka, Kan.

DESIGN ARCHITECT

DLR Group

Overland Park, Kan.

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