Northern Arizona University Student-Athlete High Performance Center / DLR Group

Northern Arizona University Student-Athlete High Performance Center / DLR Group

+ 23

Text description provided by the architects. Designed to attract top student-athletes to Northern Arizona University, the Student-Athlete High-Performance Center focuses on the wellness and development of NAU student-athletes, while also providing meaningful recruitment opportunities.

Nestled into a hillside filled with ponderosa pines and views of Humphreys Peak, the state-of-the-art training facility welcomes all Lumberjack student-athletes. To enter the three-story, 72,000 SF training complex, pedestrians walk along a 140-foot bridge and arrive at the grand hall, which features large public exhibits where the accomplishments of Lumberjack athletes are displayed and celebrated. The grand hall connects with one of the most amazing auditoriums in college sports, a nearly 200-seat theater that provides stunning views of the practice field below, campus, and the majestic mountain range beyond.

Designated areas among the two lower levels are dedicated to improving all aspects of the student-athletes daily routine. The academic lounge is a place to congregate, study, and meet with advisors. The team lounge has proven to be a keyspace as teammates relax together and build the comradery needed to win championships. Locker rooms have custom lockers and thematic lighting that reinforces the Lumberjack brand. 

Plus, the cardio mezzanine is the largest altitude-controlled simulation room on a collegiate campus, allowing Lumberjack student-athletes the ability to train at sea level all the way up to 12,000 feet.

The massive daylit weight room can train entire teams in one session and is equipped with a hangar door that opens to provide a direct connection to a turf practice field. Student-Athletes receive physical and mental training, along with rehab and hydrotherapy, just a short walk from the weight room. Because nutrition is key to maintaining a healthy body, NAU positioned the nutrition station in a high-traffic area to encourage Lumberjacks to grab a healthy snack, refuel, and socialize with their peers.

The building is designed as a dichotomy in relation to NAU’s previous athletic facilities. Prior to the opening of this facility in 2022, academic support, strength training, sports medicine, and practice happened in various buildings scattered on campus. The new facility provides ample space for these amenities and more in a highly efficient design. Nearly every space within the Student-Athlete High-Performance Center includes dramatic visual connections to the surrounding natural environment which exemplifies Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, and the mountainous region.