Currently through Design Development, the new facility will house the University of Tennessee’s men’s and women’s Indoor Track program as well as the women’s Volleyball team. The program includes a hydraulic track, 8 sprint lanes, 2 pole vaulting areas, 2 triple/ long jumping pits, a high jump, a hammer throw and shot-put area, 3 volleyball courts, coaches offices, conference space, locker rooms with training facilities, equipment storage areas and all associated support spaces.
The parti separates the two primary venues so each athletic program has equal access to their support spaces, with clear separation of functions for both athletes and visitors. The massive scale of the building (longer than a football field in both directions) required thoughtful consideration of how a building can reveal multiple layers of detail within a limited budget.
The overall organization of the facility was defined by existing site constraints, bound on all sides by; a university warehouse (east), soccer fields (west), railroad tracks (north), and a service road (south) which includes existing infrastructure to accommodate RV parking reserved for special events.
A north-south service core accommodates all athlete-related functions (locker rooms, exercise rooms, conference rooms, offices, etc.), while east-west service cores contain all public-related functions (restrooms, concessions, etc.). Both cores are anchored by a spacious two-story lobby in the southwest corner which provides access to both athletic venues and can feature high impact banners and graphics for both sports.
The exterior is an expression of, and informed by, the specialized functions housed within; giving equal priority to both sports. A metal panel skin takes it’s signature shape on the primary South elevation from the radius of the banked track, pulling away from the ground to reveal the glass entry lobby as the gridded panels become an abstracted volleyball net, anchored by a large post at the public entry. Large-scale icons screened onto the building’s facade complete the concept of integrating form and function.
All athletic functions meet strict NCAA guidelines for horizontal and vertical clearances; lighting requirements for maximum visibility of all functions (including televised broadcasts); and both venues include seating capacity sufficient to allow the University to host NCAA regional and national competitions.
