An ambitious new athletic facility for the University of Washington’s men’s and women’s basketball programs has got the ball rolling thanks to a design from Gensler.

The newly-approved Basketball Training & Operations Facility and Health & High Performance Center is seen as an enhancement of student-athlete life as well as a potential recruiting tool, for a program that has recently missed its shot to attract and retain several high-level future pros.

The project is being paid for entirely through private donations to UW’s athletics program, a fact that is especially welcome at a time when the university’s funds are in much greater need in other areas of campus life.

The facility will be installed on the current site of the historic Hec Edmundson Pavilion, one of America's oldest college gyms, and will include state-of-the-art new practice courts, locker rooms, dedicated film study rooms, player lounges, and something called an “enhanced performance center.” 

The project’s architects see it as a metaphor for peer-based collaboration and the spirit of athletic competition. 

“Working with the University and Gensler in this integrated approach embodies the spirit of collegiate athletics, where groups of talented individuals of diverse backgrounds and skillsets come together to push the limits of what is possible,” said Tamara Hartner, the design phase executive at Gensler’s teammate Mortenson. 

Approval has already been granted for the facility by the university’s board of regents. The project is set to tip off in 2024.