A major expansion of the University of Georgia’s football training facility has been completed. The project includes 136,300 sf of new space and 28,700 sf of renovated space in the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall athletic headquarters building. The result is composed of three floors of high-performance training experiences for student-athletes and coaches. The modern, amenity-filled space, designed by HOK, will support the university’s efforts to continue to recruit and retain top talent.
The field level includes a new locker room with a central private player’s lounge, equipment room, plunge pool, and nutrition bar. A corridor between these spaces connects to an indoor football practice field and two adjacent outdoor fields. The corridor features rich wood tones, sleek metal details, and large-scale video displays highlighting UGA alumni who have played in the National Football League.
The corridor also connects to a uniform display room accessible by facial recognition technology. This room has black mirrored acrylic walls and faux leather vertical panels that slide to reveal UGA uniforms and athletic gear.
A new entry greets athletes and recruits with a prominent black and red trophy display. Upon entry, players are greeted with a central player-centric area that includes a dining space and demonstration kitchen, along with a player’s lounge offering comfortable seating, entertainment, and 360-degree views of key training amenities. These include a weight room, sports medicine facility with hydrotherapy and recovery spaces, an all-team auditorium, team meeting spaces, and views to the indoor field.
The double-height weight room features a dual-sided video board and a plyometric stair connecting to the field level. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the weight room overlook the outdoor training fields, which in combination with clerestory windows, flood the weight room with natural light.
The second-floor houses staff offices, conference rooms, player support offices, an expanded video suite, and a cardio mezzanine overlooking the weight room. A multipurpose lounge overlooking the indoor field provides a flexible space for entertaining athletes, recruits, and their families.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: University of Georgia Athletic Association
Design architect: HOK
Architect of record: HOK
MEP engineer: Johnson, Spellman & Associates (Mech/Plumbing) / Mathis Consulting Engineers (Electrical)
Structural engineer: KSi
General contractor/construction manager: DPR Construction (Design Build)
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jul 9, 2020
Florida Gators’ $65 million baseball field completes
Populous and Walker Architects designed the project.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 15, 2020
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has its own brewery, Europe’s longest bar
Populous designed the project.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 19, 2020
Projection mapping takes center court
Audiovisual systems that turn sports arenas into digital canvasses have become key elements of venue design.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 1, 2020
DLR Group completes LA Memorial Coliseum Renovation
The work finished prior to the 2019 USC season.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 27, 2020
Erudite eSports: Colleges build their very own eSports arenas
Universities are building dedicated spaces for eSport athletes to pick up the sticks.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 27, 2020
Disney to develop private island destination in The Bahamas
This will be Disney’s second private island retreat.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 25, 2020
The world’s largest cricket stadium opens
Populous designed the project.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 6, 2020
Europe’s first LEGOLAND Water Park is set to open
The water park will be part of Italy’s Gardaland Theme Park in Gardaland, Italy.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jan 20, 2020
Construction begins on $1.8 billion addition to the Washington State Convention Center
LMN Architects designed the project.
GIANTS 19 PREMIUM | Dec 23, 2019
Top 65 Sports Facilities Engineering Firms for 2019
Walter P Moore, Kimley-Horn, ME Engineers, Thornton Tomasetti, and EXP head the rankings of the nation's largest sports facilities sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.