OWNER

Los Angeles Clippers

CONFERENCE

Western Conference, Pacific Division

VENUE(S)

Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA

DESIGNERS

Gensler

Shield Lockers

MANUFACTURER

Shield Lockers

COMPLETION DATE

2016

FEATURES/SCOPE

16 Player Lockers

PLAYER LOCKER SIZE

40″ W x 27″ D x 96″ H

A 60-day locker from design to installation

In 2016, the Los Angeles Clippers and sports design firm Gensler approached Shield about creating a sophisticated locker as part of a fast makeover to modernize an outdated but vital component of the Staples Arena.

Challenge accepted.

The Clippers had been playing in the Staples Center for more than 15 years. Their President of Business Operations, Gillian Zucker, was a big advocate for renovating the locker room because to her, the current state of the space didn’t reflect the caliber of a championship-level NBA locker room. Zucker was also keen on the locker room becoming a key component of franchise branding to help support Doc Rivers’ vision for team unification.

The franchise’s guidance under Steve Ballmer, who had recently retired as CEO of Microsoft after 14 years at the helm before purchasing the franchise in late 2014, was ready to invest in their players and bring a modern, more sophisticated vision into the arena. Given his background, Ballmer was keen on the correlation between workspace and levels of productivity.

One of the primary challenges for the design and construction team was the schedule at one of the busiest arenas in the country. The team was confined to a limited footprint and had only a few months to execute the new vision, but the results were spectacular. In addition to a new training room, a spa-like bathing/grooming area, a kitchen, and a team lounge, the lockers were carefully detailed to create a modern, sophisticated workplace atmosphere for players to decompress.

The cool color palette with dark wood lockers created a more masculine aesthetic. Metal lines criss-cross the backrest to stitch together leather accent panels between wood support walls; solid wood bench faces passively ventilate storage with carefully machined perforations and a custom, inset metal Clippers logo; digital, lockable storage flanks a jersey display area for gameday, allowing players to keep valuables stored safely in the heavily trafficked arena; and programmable Clippers blue toekick lighting helps unify the horseshoe-shaped locker layout and adjust the mood for any occasion.

In less than 60-days from design to installation, 16 player lockers found their new home at the Staples Center in the beautifully renovated locker room.