Winning Locker Room Design

Winning Locker Room Design

Wenger provided the University of Minnesota with easy-to-clean lockers that also give players a place to relax and unwind after a game or practice.

“Our previous lockers looked outdated and it was also time to update their functionality,” says Andy Harris, assistant director of Football Equipment at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

“We wanted a locker room that gives the ‘wow factor’ every time players walk in,” explains Harris.

“Wenger did an outstanding job translating our goals into reality,” recalls Harris. These unique lockers include several new features developed specifically for this project. Ventilation ducts integrated into each locker’s foot locker and topper unit are tied into the main HVAC system to accelerate equipment drying.

Sanitation is a “huge issue” for locker rooms, according to Harris. Drying out everything in a timely manner is important.

Cleaning the lockers is easy — all wooden surfaces feature an antimicrobial, polyester laminate finish that makes wiping them down simple and quick. This finish material prevents bacteria and viruses from penetrating into the wood, helping reduce the spread of MRSA, colds or flu.

Aesthetically, the university’s maroon and gold colors are incorporated throughout the locker design. A padded seat, which doubles as the footlocker lid to help conserve valuable floor space, is also a GearBoss first.

To display player information or photos, each locker includes a built-in digital picture frame, enabling a player to customize his own locker’s appearance. Accent lighting provides visual highlights for certain locker elements, including an etched-glass door enclosing the topper unit that holds helmet and shoulder pads.

Harris says the locker room has become a comfortable place for players to relax. He concludes, “With the locker room’s open design and more locker space, everyone just feels more like part of the team.”

www.wengercorp.com

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management November 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Missouri Child Development Center Completes $2.3M Expansion

    The Urban Sprouts Child Development Center in St. Louis, Mo., recently announced the completion of a $2.3-million expansion and adaptive reuse project, according to a news release. The new space includes a retail café, outdoor learning space, and a support office building.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.