Aug122020
InspiredThoughtsShield Lockers Expert Perspectives series talks with Centerbrook Architects and Planners to understand current and emerging trends in sports architecture design

Jon M. Lavy with Centerbrook Architects & Planners talks with Shield Lockers about the impact of COVID-19 on sports architecture

What’s waiting for sports venues and athletic facilities on the other side of this pandemic? There’s a lot of speculation and ideas gaining momentum as to where design could or should go as we begin to emerge from this complex crisis.

Shield Lockers recently had a conversation on this topic with Jon M. Lavy, AIA, Associate Principal at Centerbrook Architects & Planners. Lavy’s leadership has been likened by colleagues to the conductor of an orchestra—keeping all of the elements of his design projects in sync, communicating with and inspiring each section toward a common goal of excellence.

With over thirty years of design experience, Lavy has led projects ranging from biomedical research facilities to collegiate sports arenas, ensuring that health and wellness is integral to the living experience of Centerbrook Architects’ award-winning design solutions.

Here's what Lavy has to say in response to the impact of COVID-19 on sports architecture.

Health and wellness in athletic venues and facilities

“All athletics facilities, by definition, are designed to promote the health and wellness of the athletes who compete and train there,” says Lavy. “The equipment, playing surfaces, technology, and amenities are all important, as are the back-of-the-house systems that make them run efficiently.”

“We pay attention to all of this and look for opportunities for the facility to promote healthy behavior or to connect its inhabitants with nature,” Lavy continues. “These could include visual reminders to encourage movement, such as a staircase placed prominently in a lobby, with the elevator out of sight; or enlivening paths of travel with daylight, views, or outdoor access; or they could promote social engagement with human-scaled spaces and outdoor terraces.”

"Natural light can be controlled with glass treatments to avoid distraction and glare while promoting game-day excitement and connecting fans to nature. Acoustics, which in large-volume facilities must be carefully considered, can be tuned to reduce noise pollution and unwanted stimulation.”

The impact of COVID-19 on sports facilities design

“The built environment will be at the vanguard of our response to Covid-19. But the exact shape and contour of how is not clear yet,” says Lavy, who offers some specific ways in which this could be accomplished. “Mechanical systems may be upgraded to accommodate additional air changes, offices may be reconfigured to support social distancing, city grids may be transformed into walking paths to reduce density on mass transit, or restaurants may offer new dining ambiences that isolate patrons in outdoor glass-enclosures. All of these ideas and many more are on our minds as we look to the future.”

Lavy’s team recently completed construction documents for a new basketball arena at a university in New England. While construction is paused, they’ve been pondering which elements of their design need further refinement to make athletes, fans, prospective students, and alums feel welcome and safe, such as:

  • Should ticket booths be redesigned to reduce contact, or will tickets be virtual, thus eliminating the need for the booth?
  • Can cash-free concessions be implemented facility-wide with RFID systems? 
  • Should event schedules be extended to reduce density during “load-in” and to allow for testing or temperature taking? 
  • Should there be fewer seats? 
  • Is there enough storage capacity for cleaning supplies and disinfectants, and space for medical personnel if testing is required? 
  • What broadcast technologies can best replicate the immersive fan experience, and the roar of the crowd, if no crowd is present?

Design trends to come

“It is hard to imagine that touchless technologies that mitigate contagion will not be a big part of post-Covid 19 public spaces,” says Lavy. “Automatic doors, voice-activated elevators, cellphone-controlled entries, and hands-free lighting and temperature controls are all going to be the new normal. Just as metal detectors and other security measures became commonplace after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We’ll be researching more antimicrobial finishes and materials, as well as revisiting restroom designs to support self-cleaning as well as smaller modular spaces that can be sealed off and quickly disinfected.”

“Athletics venues may need to reconsider their business model as arenas are designed with fewer seats and more open spaces that enable people to spread out with amenities being eliminated or reduced.”

Learn more about Centerbrook Architects & Planners’ sports design expertise.

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