Werth Family UConn Basketball Champions Center
Extreme weather meets its match with innovative design
Project Facts
| Location | Storrs, Connecticut |
| Owner | University of Connecticut |
| Size | 77,000 SF |
| Cost | $26 million |
| Status | Completed 2014 |
Overview
The dual program basketball success at the University of Connecticut is unprecedented, so the proposal of a new training facility with equal programming came as no surprise. The heart of Storrs campus now houses a state-of-the-art practice facility designed with the region’s climate challenges in mind.
Services
About the Project
The facility is located in the heart of the Storrs campus adjacent to their arena, Gampel Pavilion, aka Game Day Arena. From advanced courts to innovative hydrotherapy pools, this facility offers equal programming for the Men’s and Women’s basketball programs, ensuring their ongoing success.
The project included one-and-a-half full-size courts for the Men’s and Women’s programs, weight training and locker rooms, film, study, dining, and coaches’ facilities, and separate state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pools.
One of the main technical challenges was to economically design for a safe and manageable amount of snow on the roof. Climatological testing helped determine the right snow depths for flat, sliding and drifted conditions, and we also provided a snow drifting control plan to help the building managers keep the loading on the roof within limits.
Another key challenge was to properly design and detail the state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool so that it could be affordably built without leaking. We carefully detailed the sequencing of the formwork and deck pours to accommodate the special pool requirements. Our past experience with other similar pools paid big dividends for us here.
