Arizona State University Weatherup Center
Tempe, Arizona, United States
Arizona State University had a vision for a new practice facility dynamic enough to recruit the best talent and develop that talent into NBA caliber athletes. A site next to the existing Athlete’s Performance Institute (API) turned out to be the perfect fit for the building. The existing API housed training areas, classrooms, offices and outdoor recreational and hydrotherapy pools, eliminating the need to construct those spaces within the new building.
Taking advantage of the Arizona climate, the building is a model in sustainability. A highlight of the building’s green design features are photovoltaic panels on the roof of each gymnasium, which provide nearly half of the 48,500-square-foot building’s power. The blending of the two buildings into a cohesive complex that takes advantage of the Phoenix climate gave Sun Devil basketball a secluded, dramatic home ideal for current student-athletes and an enticing lure for recruits. Populous designed this facility in association with Multistudio.