It has been said that sport is a religion, and a new pop-up court in Chicago facilitated by Nike takes this quite literally. The Church of Epiphany, dating back to 1885, has been converted by the shoe company into its latest Just Do It HQ. Decked out in custom stained glass, the former historic place of worship has become a site for local high school basketball teams to shoot some hoops.
The conversion is the work of Storey Studio, a British design studio that has collaborated with Nike on a number of colorful projects. Outfitted with a state-of-the-art basketball court, sports gym, and locker room, their latest work was open for the month of August, offering activities such as interactive youth workshops, training, and school clinics. Former Bulls star Scottie Pippen even stopped by to share some advice with local high school athletes.
This converted church is the latest example of Nike's eagerness to engage in a certain kind of brand urbanism, which describes the growing trend of companies taking on urban development projects in exchange for exposure. A little ways back, Nike took over an entire city block in Manila to construct a giant running track lined with LED-screens.
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