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“Our previous lockers looked outdated and it was also time to update their functionality,” says Andy Harris, assistant director of Football Equipment at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.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

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • North Carolina District Completes New Elementary School

    The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Holly Springs, N.C., recently announced that construction on a new elementary school has finished, according to a news release. Rex Road Elementary School measures in at 133,000 square feet and is the fifteenth school that general contractor Balfour Beatty has completed for the district.

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.