Project Description
Virginia Commonwealth University’s Basketball Development Center is designed as a place of pride for players and coaches, as a source of amazement for fans and donors, and as an awe-inspiring point of reassurance for young recruits. Located on West Marshall Street, north of the Siegel Center in downtown Richmond, the new Basketball Development Center provides both the men’s and women’s programs with state-of-the-art facilities in one 62,000 square foot, two-story building that aids in recruiting and player/team development. The building is at once fresh and also timeless – a comfortable place to play and work every day.
The design celebrates the activities within the facility and strives to connect fans and passersby to the VCU Rams basketball programs. Clerestory lighting and expanses of translucent glass foster a sense of openness and fellowship with the surrounding campus community. Inside the facility, hubs of activity recall the vigorous momentum of the men’s and women’s basketball programs and relay this focused energy palpably to passersby.
Interior spaces resonate with the passion and energy of the VCU men’s and women’s basketball programs. In the lobby, main stair, and second-floor dining area, a rich palette of terrazzo flooring, wood paneling, perforated metal, and glass provides a powerful backdrop for the VCU story conveyed throughout the facility. The second-floor team areas transition to a more youthful architectural character, reflecting the contemporary materiality and aesthetics appealing to recruits and players.
The basketball practice courts are the heart of the new facility and are available day and night for players and coaches to hone their craft. Not merely gymnasiums, the courts pulse with the vibrancy of the current programs while offering an unparalleled set of immediately-accessible amenities, including strength and conditioning rooms, physical therapy and hydrotherapy areas, and video viewing and editing rooms.
Abundant transparency offers direct views to and from coaches’ offices, conference suites, lounges, and locker rooms which wrap the courts on the upper floor. Men’s and women’s sides are mirror images of each other, programmatically, while offering distinguishing finish selections.
The courts are conceived not only as ‘practice’ spaces, but simultaneously as ‘training’ and ‘education’ spaces. Dedicated zones outside the playing boundaries are able to accommodate aerobic and resistance training equipment as well as critical everyday equipment items such as basketball returns. Dedicated film rooms are open to and adjacent to the court and offer the ability for teams to flow effortlessly from film room to practice floor without significant down-time.
The building is characterized by a strong roofline that unifies the various building elements and defines a block-long glass building volume. The facility works to function as a ‘good neighbor’ by maintaining a scale that is in keeping with the Carver neighborhood and by using brick book-ends where the glass and metal-shingle building faces older residential buildings.
“VCU Athletics cannot thank Barton Malow and VMDO, the contractor and architect of the project, enough for their hard work and creativity on this project. Since day one, their professionalism, ingenuity and vision has aligned with our needs and even exceeded our expectations. This facility is an enormous project, but Barton Malow and VMDO have responded impressively to the task of constructing a complex that will help us win more championships and secure our place as a Top 25 program. ” – Ed McLaughlin, Director of Athletics, Virginia Commonwealth University
AWARDS INCLUDE:
— 2017 Athletic Business Architectural Showcase; Athletic Business Showcase
— 2017 Design-Build Honor Award; DBIA Mid-Atlantic
— 2016 Award Winner; DBIA Hampton Roads
— 2016 Honorable Mention; AIA Central Virginia
— 2016 Best Project Award for Sports/Entertainment; ENR Mid-Atlantic
— 2016 Institutional Sports + Recreation Award; Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate