Modern Athletics Center Elevates Lakeside School's Athletic Program

LMN Architects, a Seattle-based architecture firm, has designed a new Athletics Center for the Lakeside School. The Paul G. Allen Athletic Center, named after the school's co-founder, replaces an existing athletics facility that dates back to the 1930s. The new building has been designed to blend classic campus traditions with modern features, providing a community hub for spectators and the campus at large. The project is expected to elevate the school's athletic competitiveness while enhancing functionality for athletes.

The new athletic center boasts a modern design that incorporates flexibility and social connectivity. Working within the constraints of the historic Bebb and Gould master plan for the Lakeside School, the Paul G. Allen Athletic Center doubles the interior volume of the old facility by excavating below the site. The gymnasium floor, which drops 11 feet from grade to meet NCAA regulation ceiling height, is just one of the many program spaces that have been enlarged to accommodate the school's growing athletics offerings.

Despite the steep and irregular grades that characterize the site, LMN Architects has developed an organic circulation pattern that unifies all program elements through shared views, daylight, and an open stair. The design solution includes a glass-enclosed, rectangular circulation bar that connects the upper-level campus athletic fields with parking/street access at the lower level. This essential organizing principle also creates opportunities for additional expressions of campus community and identity, such as impromptu spaces finished with repurposed wood floor planks from the original gym.

The Lakeside School Athletics Center project was a collaborative effort between several companies, including Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Telecommunication (Sparling), KPFF, MKA, PAE, Stantec, Tableau, Karen Kiest Landscape Architects, Dark|Light Design, Hart Crowser, TA Kinsman Consulting Company, Heffron Transportation, Inc., LCG Pence Construction, Lease Crutcher Lewis, and RDH Building Sciences, Inc. The new building not only enhances the school's athletic competitiveness but also provides a community hub for spectators and the campus at large.

Overall, LMN Architects has successfully designed a modern Athletics Center that respects the historic Bebb and Gould master plan for the Lakeside School. The Paul G. Allen Athletic Center not only provides a functional space for athletes but also creates opportunities for peer interaction, mentorship with coaches, and continuity of the school's athletic legacy. With its sleek design and modern features, the new athletic center is sure to elevate the Lakeside School's athletic program to new heights.

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