HIGHER EDUCATION ATHLETICS
HIGHER EDUCATION McMillan Pazdan Smith deigns educational environments that cultivate learning, collaboration, inclusivity, and innovation through architecture and campus planning. We understand that designing for colleges and universities today requires an ability to nimbly respond to changing cultures, pedagogies, and technology while integrating complex stakeholder groups and programs. Clarity in addressing these challenges, searching for solutions that solve immediate needs while providing enduring flexibility, is paramount. The MPS higher education team has designed over 500 specialized, award-winning projects, on more than 100 campuses, for over 60 years. We share the passion of each institution and each campus served, aligning with clients’ aspirations, and placing their satisfaction as our highest priority.
University of South Carolina, Science and Technology Building in association with Stantec (formerly Page)
Western Carolina University, Ramsey Regional Activity Center
COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS Collegiate athletics reach far beyond the confines of a college or university campus. Team identity can define a community, tie fans together across entire regions — and it is often the sports venues that are most cherished by alumni. From the roar of the crowd to the pride alumni feel for a lifetime, team identity is a powerful binding force. Our team members, many former college and professional athletes themselves, understand their responsibility to create facilities and venues that meet the expectations of loyal fans and provide every opportunity for student athletes to excel. In collegiate athletics programs, the stakes are high, and the experience and performance are key.
ATHLETIC FACILITY DESIGN Designing a new sports and recreation complex begins with a simple, but essential question: How can our team improve the current site and create a strong and cohesive sense-of-place that will function as an active, year-round entertainment venue? Giving fans the ultimate experience is an integral part of sports venue design. An athletic facility should be current, iconic, and imaginative with regional appeal and a powerful draw. Our overarching goal is to design an experience that will energize the role of athletic programs within a community or campus; promote athletic excellence; and serve as both a fun and functional destination for athletes and spectators.
University of South Carolina Indoor Football Practice Facility This award-winning facility is the secondonly LEED Silver intercollegiate indoor football practice facility in the nation.
The new USC indoor football practice facility is on the West end of the old farmers market site. The facility includes a full-size turf practice field with end zones. Support facilities include athlete training rooms, storage, restrooms, platforms, and a mezzanine.
in association with RATIO Architects
University of South Carolina Gamecock Park
This conversion of a 53-acre farmers market transformed the outdoor space into a premier tailgating facility for the University. Completion of the project saw the birth of a new Gamecock football tradition — the procession of the USC band and football team down the center greenway of the ceremonial and welcoming site.
Wofford College Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium
The Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium is a classic basketball venue located on the Wofford College campus. Combining the amenities of state-of-theart arenas with the traditional feel and details of basketball’s cathedrals — the Palestra, Hinkle, etc. — the new stadium seeks to preserve and capture the history and tradition of the game while addressing the present and future state of the sport. This 123,000 SF stadium includes a 3,400-seat basketball arena and a 500-seat volleyball competition venue, and also offers additional seating capacity for nonathletics functions, such as commencement and concerts, allowing 4,500 guests.
University of Richmond E. Claiborne Robins Stadium The stadium was enlarged to approximately 9,500 seats flanked by buildings to house the press box, hospitality suite, president’s box, and space allocated for a future club level. Restrooms and concessions support the multi-tiered seating bowl, and the visitor’s locker room is subdivided to house sport teams competing during the Spring. The Home Halftime House adjacent to the field provides the Spiders a generous meeting space both before and after the game.
In association with Quinn Evans
Mercer University Homer and Ruth Drake Field House
The new football and lacrosse stadium is designed for a maximum of 12,000 seats with concessions and a future, larger pressbox that will also offer a President’s Box Level. The current press box includes modern amenities for working press, coaches and officials, as well as a filming mezzanine. The new field house is a two-story, 43,000 SF complex that features a weight room, training room, and home locker rooms on the field level and coaches offices, conference rooms, and team meeting rooms that double as game day suites on the upper level. Also included is a 4,700 SF physical therapy and rehabilitation suite for the entire campus community.
Barton College Wilson Gymnasium Renovation
The Barton College women’s basketball and volleyball teams recently had record-breaking seasons and needed upgraded facilities to continue to compete at a high level. Facility improvements would also enable the existing gymnasium to hold graduations and other large campus events. The college voted to renovate the gymnasium to provide new air conditioning systems, flooring, retractable seating, light fixtures, interior finishes, and restrooms.
Coker College Wellness Center
The 71,000 SF facility includes a main gymnasium that seats 1,908 in stadium-style retractable bleachers and an auxiliary gymnasium. Level one of the facility also includes a strength and conditioning room, a cafe and dining area, athletic training and rehabilitation / therapy rooms, sport-by-sport locker rooms, state-of-the-art classrooms, and more. Level two features a large Cobra Club, athletic offices, and an indoor walking track.
Lenoir-Rhyne University Moretz Football Stadium
The Moretz Stadium renovation elevates the fans’ and athletes’ experience and allows the stadium to serve as a multipurpose facility. Updates include a grandstand with new seat backs, press box, scoreboard, president’s suite, and VIP seating / viewing areas. New lacrosse locker rooms and concessions provide additional and modern amenities. Lenoir-Rhyne graphics, branding, and traditions were also incorporated throughout the design.
Clemson University Larry B. Penley Clemson Golf Clubhouse
On the grade level, the Penley CLubhouse contains locker rooms, fitness areas, and an indoor putting green. The main level is illuminated by natural light from a cupola and dormers above to showcase team accomplishments and trophies. The central open area is flanked by a conference room, a member lounge, kitchen, coach’s office, and study rooms that all open out onto a wrap-around porch. The upper level consists of two apartments carved into dormer spaces which look down onto display areas and greens outside. Several outdoor terrace areas showcase donor recognition plaques and accommodate fundraising gatherings. The central form with wide verandas and a metal roof recall southern heritage golf facilities, providing practical sun shading and social outdoor interaction.
Anderson University Soccer + Lacrosse Fieldhouse
Anderson University has been aggressively expanding their sports offerings, adding men’s lacrosse in 2019, women’s lacrosse soon after, culminating in their inaugural football season in 2024. McMillan Pazdan Smith has been working with AU every step of the way, supporting the school with athletic master planning and facility design services. A new 10,443 SF soccer and lacrosse field house was completed in 2021 featuring four locker rooms, player lounges, coach’s offices, and an outdoor patio overlooking the playing field.
Anderson University Football Operations
When Anderson University added football to their athletic program, they engaged MPS to design the complex which includes a new stadium, field houses for multiple sports, and the 40,00 SF football operations building. The walkout basement offers mechanical and storage space, a visiting team locker room, and a new softball locker room. The field level features a football locker room, weight room, training room with a hydrotherapy tub, and equipment room with compact shelving. The upper level includes a hall of fame space, coach’s office and suite, and large team room. This level has position rooms which can be used as hospitality suites that open to a balcony overlooking the field.
Furman University Latham Baseball Stadium
The new 10,400 SF baseball field house is sited adjacent to the existing baseball stadium along the first baseline with excellent views of the field from an elevated vantage point. This new facility is a continuation of the original stadium built in the 1950’s and provides the stadium with a visual anchor from the nearby campus entrance. Traditional materials blend with the architectural vernacular of the surrounding campus buildings.
Newberry College Football Stadium and Founders FCU Fieldhouse
The existing stadium is refreshed with new synthetic turf, bench and chair seating, restrooms, concessions, and a state-of-the-art press box. In addition, McMillan Pazdan Smith designed an athletic village located along the eastern stands that provide a football locker room, training and treatment center, lacrosse lockers, field hockey lockers, coach offices, athletic administration offices, classrooms, and seminar rooms. The classrooms and seminar rooms act as suites on game days, with views onto the field from the viewing deck. All locker rooms include support spaces such as laundry facilities, equipment rooms, and storage areas.
Converse College Marsha H. Gibbs Field House
Enhancing the athletic facilities at Converse College, a new two-story, 14,000 SF Field House supports Soccer, Golf, Lacrosse, and Tennis programs and is part of the Sally Abney Rose Physical Activity Complex. A soccer/ lacross press box was designed to overlook the soccer pitch. The first floor provides an academic support center, five locker rooms, strength conditioning and training rooms, and an indoor/outdoor golf practice facility. The second floor houses a press box, conference room, catering kitchen, and large roofed terrace with a garden overlooking the field.
Barton College Athletics Training Facility
Barton College hired McMillan Pazdan Smith to administer all design and engineering services to repurpose the former maintenance and operation building into a one-story strength and conditioning training facility on campus.
Furman University Pearce-Horton Football Complex
The Pearce-Horton Football Complex at Furman is a four-level, 44,000 SF facility located adjacent to the existing stadium. It includes a locker room and player lounge/study area for the football team. In addition, the facility houses coach offices, several meeting rooms, a sports medicine area, equipment room, and other support space. The building also includes a press level and a private suite/club level with outdoor viewing areas and catering amenities.
Claflin University Health & Wellness Building
To meet the school’s growing student and community need, Claflin University engaged McMillan Pazdan Smith for their new two-story Health and Wellness Center. The project includes the expansion of the historic Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center into a 30,000 SF, full-service Health and Wellness Complex that features a gymnastics and aerobics room, a weight room, an indoor track, staff offices, and multi-purpose meeting and seminar rooms
Mercer University Orthogeorgia Park at Claude Smith Field
Orthogeorgia Park was a renovation / upgrade to their existing 1,200-seat ballpark on campus. The stadium now seats 1,500 and has revamped dugouts, concession stands, restrooms, two open-are suites, and a new press box.
Furman University The REK Center for Intercollegiate Golf
The Furman golf center features six hitting stations in three covered bays, an indoor putting studio, a club repair shop, plus a workout area.
University of South Carolina Upstate Convocation Center
ON THE BOARDS
University of South Carolina Upstate Convocation Center
The proposed convocation center will be a 3,500-seat facility to host basketball / volleyball events. The program includes: •
Hospitality / VIP Room Club
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Campus Sports Medicine area
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Nutrition Station
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“Palaestra” area for Students
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Lockers for Men’s Basketball
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Coach Locker Room
•
Offices for coaches and
and Volleyball, and Women’s
•
Media / Green Room
Department of Athletics
Basketball and Volleyball
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Strength and Conditioning Center
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Equipment Room
and Classroom •
Concessions and Restrooms
Appalachian State University Indoor Practice Facility Expansion
Our team created advanced planning and design services for a new full-size, indoor football facility at Appalachian State University. The new 95,500 SF facility is comprised of a full football field, lobby, second level observation and gathering space, and storage / ancillary support spaces. Additionally, there will be a dedicated OT / PT clinic.
in association with RATIO Architects
University of Richmond Baseball Stadium
This athletic renovation features enhancements to the University’s existing stadium, field, lighting, and dugouts. The work includes 800 new seats, covering the upper concourse, a new press box with unobstructed views to the field, ADA upgrades on a very sloped site, and a Champions Court at the ballpark entrance. The design follows the University’s architectural style and detailing.
University of North Carolina – Charlotte Richardson Stadium Expansion
The project is an expansion and renovation of the Jerry Richardson Stadium with a west tower built over an existing press box. The tower will increase seating to add 600 club seats, 140 ledge seats, 80 loge seats, and 1,800 general admission seats.
in association with SLAM
Western Carolina University Athletic Facilities Renovation
MPS was selected to verify planning and programming goals of Western Carolina University’s 2019 Athletics Master Plan. Upon completion of the study, our team was retained for the renovation and replacement project. Additions to the Whitemire Stadium on the West Stands will include a Chancellor’s suite and press box addition; a new football operations facility to house the new strength and conditioning center, sports medicine facility, locker room / lounge, hall of fame, equipment room, offices, team meeting rooms, nutrition area, and a practice field. A new field sports complex will feature the indoor gold practice facility, training rooms, conference rooms, a lounge, offices, and locker rooms for soccer, track and field, and golf.
ideas taking shape
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