A new practice facility for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm will help the franchise expand its efforts to grow opportunities for female athletes and youth in the city. Designed by ZGF Architects in partnership with Shive-Hattery, the 50,000-sf facility in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood will include two side-by-side basketball courts, the “Storm Team Center” with locker rooms, a lounge and a nutrition center, and strength and conditioning training spaces.
Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2023 and be completed in time for training camp ahead of the 2024 WNBA season. Force 10 Facilities, LLC (F10F) is developing the facility. The women-led project team includes owner’s representative barrientos RYAN, a design team led by ZGF Architects and Shive-Hattery Architects, general contractor Sellen Construction, and landscape architect Walker Macy.
F10F’s goal is to build a world class facility with women-led teams, supported by men and women who are experts in their areas of specialty. The following facts were released regarding the recently submitted plans:
- Currently, 85% of all project team members across all disciplines are women.
- The building design celebrates the Storm’s Pacific Northwest home, deriving inspiration from the roots of its industrial neighborhood and the team’s commitment to elite performance.
- The project is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, featuring all-electric operations and a rooftop photovoltaic array.
- The franchise will continue its longstanding work with non-profit and community partners, welcoming them to its new home to collaborate in supporting community development.
“We are excited to create a state-of-the-art training facility for our team and for our city,” said said Lisa Brummel, co-owner of the Seattle Storm, in a news release. “The Storm facility will provide our athletes with a dedicated space to support them holistically, from training to health and wellness. This facility reflects our franchise legacy, our athletes’ success, and aims to promote and grow the women’s game and expand youth access to play.”
On the project team:
Owner/developer: Force 10 Facilities, LLC
Design architect: ZGF Architects (interior), Shive-Hattery Architects (exterior)
Architect of record: ZGF Architects
MEP engineer: PAE
Structural engineer: Holmes
General contractor/construction manager: Sellen Construction
Landscape architect Walker Macy
Related Stories
| Apr 2, 2014
8 tips for avoiding thermal bridges in window applications
Aligning thermal breaks and applying air barriers are among the top design and installation tricks recommended by building enclosure experts.
| Mar 26, 2014
Callison launches sustainable design tool with 84 proven strategies
Hybrid ventilation, nighttime cooling, and fuel cell technology are among the dozens of sustainable design techniques profiled by Callison on its new website, Matrix.Callison.com.
| 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.
| 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.
| Feb 26, 2014
Billie Jean King National Tennis Center serving up three-phase expansion
The project includes the construction of two new stadiums and a retractable roof over the existing Arthur Ashe Stadium.
| Feb 14, 2014
First look: Kentucky's Rupp Arena to get re-clad as part of $310M makeover
Rupp Arena will get a 40-foot high glass façade and a new concourse, but will retain many of its iconic design elements.
| Feb 14, 2014
Crowdsourced Placemaking: How people will help shape architecture
The rise of mobile devices and social media, coupled with the use of advanced survey tools and interactive mapping apps, has created a powerful conduit through which Building Teams can capture real-time data on the public. For the first time, the masses can have a real say in how the built environment around them is formed—that is, if Building Teams are willing to listen.
| Feb 11, 2014
World's first suspended bicycle roundabout [slideshow]
Located in the Netherlands, the project was designed to promote a healthier lifestyle.
