Liberty University Athletics Center

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

Creating a Home for Student Athletes Liberty’s new Athletics Center is a 72,200-square-foot multi-use athletic facility designed for the holistic health, rehabilitation, and education of student-athletes for their NCAA Division-I sports programs. The facility integrates all the main components of the student-athlete’s full development including the athletic department, academic tutoring and study spaces, and key administrative services – the holistic athletic ecosystem – all in one building.

Addressing the “Pain Point” with Biophilic Design The architecture addresses a pain point for administrators, coaches, trainers, and student-athletes. Instead of windowless rehab rooms or basement training spaces, the design is centered around abundant natural light and therapeutic principles that help connect every person to nature, both inside and outside. The pain during rehabilitation for student-athletes is addressed with biophilic design, which taps into beneficial connections with nature and natural processes to improve recovery and overall student health. Bathed in natural light with spectacular mountain views and numerous plantings, the design harnesses evidence-based design approaches that support and encourage the well-being of body, mind, and spirit.

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

Grounded in a Sense of Place Sense of Place An essential part of recovery, healing, and wholeness is being well-grounded and feeling a secure “sense of place.” Comparatively, all athletes know that a shaky ankle or flimsy joint can have a psychological impact on one’s jump-shot in basketball, or a throw to first base in baseball. The same can be said about the psychological impacts of the places, buildings, and nature around us. Thus, it was important to ground the biophilic design approaches within a well-situated environment that presents the building not just as a building on campus but as an embedded, secure, and emerging form that is one within the surrounding landscape context.

Integrated Athletics Ecosystem The terraced, three-story structure was built into the existing hill that holds the outdoor track and soccer stadium with curves that match the terrain. To improve connectivity across campus and along the primary campus walkway, new elevated pedestrian paths and public spaces with spectacular views extend from the facility to key locations beyond the site. Within this context, the facility was designed to be the central hub for an improved athletics ecosystem that includes student support services, training rooms, rehabilitation facilities, equipment and weight rooms, academic amenities, study rooms, and administrative offices for Liberty’s sports programs. All together these elements create a well-grounded environment with a strong sense of belonging and sense of place at the heart of Liberty’s Athletics Corridor.

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

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Primary campus Path 1 Academic Spaces

1 Athletics Center

2 Training + Rehab Spaces

2 Campus Walk

3 Olympic Weight Rooms

3 Baseball Field

4 Primary Campus Path

4 Soccer Field

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5 Football Field

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Parti + Site Diagram

Liberty University Campus Master Plan

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

Refuge + Support for Student-Athletes Evidence-Based Design Principles To support the holistic well-being of student-athletes, the design maximizes a wide range of evidence-based design principles. Many of the spaces are grounded in Prospect-Refuge Theory – the concept that humans have deep preferences for places of prospect or overlook, as well as secure places for refuge. The building’s main form takes many cues from the surrounding landscape, including terraces and rooms for prospect and refuge, curvilinear hallways, and paths that mirror the terrain. The design creates secure places to enjoy the restorative mountain scenery, niches to view the plants or the garden, and connections to improve walkability across campus. Studies show that these kind of experiences help relieve stress, promote beneficial hormone responses, and contribute to healing. These spaces also help to bridge athletic and academic communities on campus while connecting student-athletes with needed academic support services and spaces.

Social Science of Integrated Support Systems The design creates numerous spaces for improving social health and institutional support systems by bringing together the athletic, academic, and administrative services that are essential for a well-rounded D-I athlete. Interconnected spaces and administrative services within the building help to link the “academic neighborhoods” which support the vital relationships between student-athletes, full-time staff, mentors, and tutorial staff. The central atrium encourages connectivity across spaces and systems which helps facilitate a better sense of belonging, support, and inclusion for student-athletes.

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

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5 1

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3 1

Primary Campus Walk

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Garden + Mountain Views

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Lobby

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Garden Atrium

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Student Lounge / Tutoring

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Training

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Weight Room

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Main Stair

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Academic Center

Primary campus Path

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10 Student Porch / Multi-Use Space AXON

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

Garden Atrium + Academic Neighborhoods Garden Atrium At the heart of the Athletics Center is the Garden Atrium. The unique site conditions and programmatic requirements demanded an organizational and sectional response implemented by a central atrium that allows abundant daylight deep into the space.

The light-filled Garden Atrium is an open, central volume that extends multiple stories – allowing trees, plants, and people to thrive in the natural daylight and fresh air within the building. In addition to the fresh air and abundant views, the length and depth of the multistory Garden Atrium encourage healthy daily routines, like walking and taking the stairs.

Academic Neighborhoods This central light-filled space serves as the main boulevard and promenade where student-athletes can stroll to connect with friends, staff, and study spaces across the various “Academic Neighborhoods” in the building. One-third of the facility is reserved for classrooms, academic offices, tutoring centers, study lounges, and academic enrichment spaces – many of which are located near the west-facing vista to utilize the calming views. The well-balanced student-athlete needs integrated spaces for athletic training and recovery, relaxation and respite, and access to academic mentors and tutorial staff.

The “neighborhood” approach facilitates academic services and staff that are essential for student-athletes to thrive both on the field and in the classroom.

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

Craft + Materiality Layered walls reinforce the move to create a new “ground plane” at the upper-level of the Campus Walk. Fieldstone walls, akin to site walls, along with multi-height precast concrete panels serve as infrastructural elements in creating a “pavilion” at the campus walkway level that bridges the Athletics Center’s landscape with the surrounding campus context.

Inside, stone elements and numerous planters fill the 1st floor while the upper floors feature warm hardwoods throughout.

Precast Panels The precast concrete panels are faceted to recall a natural rock face. Variations in the appearance of the wall face were created by rotating and arranging the panels in different combinations. BIM modeling allowed the architects to experiment with the patterns and provide the fabricator with a digital model to directly create the precast forms.

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

The Holistic Athletic Ecosystem While biophilic design principles were part of the final design solution, these elements were not part of the initial scope of work. The building first needed to support the student-athlete through spaces for academic study, strength training, conditioning, and rehabilitation. But, the Center also needed to be something more – a building that holistically connects student-athletes with various services, and a well-grounded facility that celebrates the beautiful Piedmont landscape.

Through the incorporation of biophilic elements such as abundant daylight, water features, interior vegetation, a green roof, and the rhythmic expression of natural materials, the building became more than just a physical expression of support for student-athletes. It became a holistic experience and ecosystem for the entire athletic community, emanating wellness and uplifting body, mind, and spirit.

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

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Liberty Athletics Center Liberty University

Liberty Athletic Center Liberty University

“ The architects really utilized the scenery of Lynchburg and the beautiful views of the mountains to create a space for us that will be an awesome learning environment. It’s exciting to see such a commitment to putting our student-athletes’ individual well-being at the forefront of their athletic and academic experience.”

Kristie Beitz Senior Athletic Director of Academic Affairs Liberty University

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VMDO Architects vmdo.com | 434.296.5684 200 E Market St Charlottesville, VA 22902 1200 18th Street NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036

For more information on VMDO’s Athletics work please contact: Joe Celentano, AIA, LEED AP celentano@vmdo.com Randy Livermon, AIA, LEED AP BD+C livermon@vmdo.com