When it opens in late 2025, the Home Court will be the first completed space on the Obama Presidential Center campus in Chicago. Located on the southwest corner of the 19.3-acre Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park, the Home Court will be the largest gathering space on the campus.
Renderings recently have been released of the 45,000-sf multipurpose sports facility and events space designed by Moody Nolan. Elevate Design Builders, a joint firm led by Bowa Construction and AECOM Hunt, is the builder.
The Home Court features a regulation-size NBA basketball court with intersecting practice courts, flexible seating, fitness equipment, and training spaces. A mezzanine level provides additional seating for an intimate spectator experience. Home Court also offers multipurpose spaces for community activities.
The Home Court’s design is inspired by two of President Obama’s passions: basketball and community building. The sleek metal and glass panel exterior has been patterned to evoke a basketball net and community connection. The expansive, east-facing glass façade—fritted to protect birds by keeping them from striking it—will offer views of the campus.
“From the outset, President Obama knew he wanted our Home Court to be a place where people could come for fun, inspiration, and learning—the kind of community spaces we need in an inclusive democracy,” Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett said in a statement. “We intend for it to be an extraordinary resource to our community that will allow families to improve their health and wellness, and participate in educational and career readiness programming all in hopes of building a brighter, healthier future.”
The design aligns with the Obama Foundation’s sustainability goals for the campus. The two-story lobby will provide natural light for many of the building’s interior spaces. Like the rest of the campus, the Home Court will be heated and cooled mostly with geothermal energy, part of the campus-wide strategy to avoid using fossil fuels.
Related Stories
| Mar 26, 2014
Zaha Hadid's glimmering 'cultural hub of Seoul' opens with fashion, flair [slideshow]
The new space, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, is a blend of park and cultural spaces meant for the public to enjoy.
| Mar 25, 2014
Sydney breaks ground on its version of the High Line elevated park [slideshow]
The 500-meter-long park will feature bike paths, study pods, and outdoor workspaces.
Sponsored | | Mar 21, 2014
Kameleon Color paint creates color-changing, iridescent exterior for Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral
Linetec finishes Firestone’s UNA-CLAD panels, achieving a one-of-a-kind, dynamic appearance with the first use of Valspar’s new Kameleon Color
| Mar 20, 2014
Common EIFS failures, and how to prevent them
Poor workmanship, impact damage, building movement, and incompatible or unsound substrate are among the major culprits of EIFS problems.
| Mar 13, 2014
Do you really 'always turn right'?
The first visitor center we designed was the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center for the Everglades National Park in 1993. I remember it well for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the ongoing dialogue we had with our retail consultant. He insisted that the gift shop be located on the right as one exited the visitor center because people “always turn right.”
| Mar 12, 2014
14 new ideas for doors and door hardware
From a high-tech classroom lockdown system to an impact-resistant wide-stile door line, BD+C editors present a collection of door and door hardware innovations.
| Mar 7, 2014
Chicago's 7 most threatened buildings: Guyon Hotel, Jeffrey Theater make the list
The 2014 edition of Preservation Chicago's annual Chicago's 7 list includes an L station house, public school, theater, manufacturing district, power house, and hotel.
| Mar 5, 2014
5 tile design trends for 2014
Beveled, geometric, and high-tech patterns are among the hot ceramic tile trends, say tile design experts.
| Mar 4, 2014
First look: Historic grain silo to become soaring art gallery
British architect Thomas Heatherwick has proposed to repurpose a grain silo into an art gallery in Cape Town, South Africa. The silo is made up of 42-concrete tubes, which Heatherwick plans to make into gallery spaces.
| Feb 28, 2014
Six finalists selected in design competition for Canadian Holocaust monument
David Adjaye and Daniel Libeskind are among the finalists for the National Holocaust Monument, planned near the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
