Parker Performance Institute in Frisco, Texas, is billed as a first-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic where students, specialized clinicians, and chiropractic professionals apply neuroscience to physical rehabilitation. Offering high-tech, cutting-edge treatment, the facility combines the vibrant atmosphere of a training gym with the healing qualities of a spa.
The building is organized into two zones, each with a distinct character. The Open Performance Zone is a high-energy space embodying athleticism and vigor with dark metal accents, turf, digital displays, and a sense of expansiveness despite a relatively small, elongated space. Designers used mirrors, exposed structural components, and natural light to animate this half of the interior. This space emphasizes cutting-edge technology.
The interior is composed of healing and massage rooms, with bright tones and indirect, color-changing circadian lighting that is customizable for patients, offering a soothing retreat. The facility provides intuitive navigation with a continuous light running above the core circulation path that is defined by a detailed feature wall.
![Parker Performance Institute, Frisco, Texas. Photo courtesy Perkins&Will](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Parker%20Performance%20Institute%2C%20designed%20by%20Perkins%26Will%20and%20located%20in%20The%20Star%20in%20Frisco%2C%20Texas%201.jpg)
These features mark the transition from the communal, highly visible training area to the zone of private care. A pattern of wood slats along the wall—also incorporating metal mesh and steel trim—creates a warm material rhythm that guides patients through the full length of the space. Branching off the main path are clean, bright pods of exam rooms with neurological and visual equipment used for light therapy, vertigo treatment, and specialized treatments for PTSD patients.
Parker Performance uses advanced tools not commonly available in clinics, from dynamic posturography and virtual reality to 3D diagnostics. The design balances this tech-forward environment with human touches, not losing sight of the emotional side of performance and recovery.
Light is strategically layered throughout to ground the experience as you walk through the building. Tall windows pull sun into the open athletic zone and translucent materials transmit natural light deeper into the space offering privacy without losing the glow of daylight.
On the team:
Owner and/or developer: Parker University
Design architect: Perkins&Will
Architect of record: Perkins&Will
MEP engineer: Purdy-McGuire
General contractor/construction manager: Skiles Group
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 21, 2017
Senate bill would prohibit tax money for sports stadium projects
Bipartisan legislation would prevent use of municipal bonds by pro teams.
Building Team Awards | Jun 8, 2017
Team win: Clemson University Allen N. Reeves Football Operations Complex
Silver Award: Clemson gets a new football operations palace, thanks to its building partners’ ability to improvise.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 19, 2017
Construction of $2.6 billion L.A. football stadium delayed by heavy rains
The Rams and Chargers won’t be able to move in until the 2020 season.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 21, 2017
3D printed models bring new economic district in Detroit to life
The centerpiece is the scaled replica of a new arena that puts a miniature fan in every seat.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 21, 2017
Boston Celtics training and practice facility will be part of Boston Landing mixed-use development
The facility will also include two floors of Class A laboratory and office space and retail space.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 19, 2017
Mercedes-Benz Stadium delayed until late August
The stadium is now scheduled to open on Aug. 26 in a preseason game between the Falcons and the Jaguars.
Concrete | Apr 7, 2017
‘Cool’ pavement creates ice rink aesthetic outside NHL practice facility
The concrete contains unique colors, aggregates, and textures.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 5, 2017
Informed design: A dynamic approach to athletic facilities design
With the completion of the athletic facility upgrade—dubbed the Arden Project—students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 9, 2017
The construction of the Atlanta Braves’ new stadium, in 1 minute
OxBlue’s time-lapse video draws from more than 200,000 images.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2017
Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena debuts a multipurpose event space
601 offers variety and flexibility not found in the arena’s other food and entertainment locations.