Georgia State University’s new Convocation Center doubles the arena it replaces and is expected to give a shot in the arm to a long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood. The new 200,000 sf multi-use venue in the Summerhill area of Atlanta is the new home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and will also be used for large-scale academic and community events.
With a seating capacity of up to 8,000, the facility provides users with world-class amenities, including a club room and suites for attendees and locker rooms, nursing, and sports medicine rooms for student athletes. The design concept, “A Window to the City,” includes elements offering visitors a heightened sense of awareness and connection to their community and deliberately turns its focus to the surrounding neighborhood and the larger city beyond.
The detailing of the primary cladding system, an insulated metal panel system over a steel frame, aimed to create a clean façade expression incorporating glazing, ventilation, and entry without compromising its inherent economy or the simplicity of its overall effect. The new facility includes the latest in lighting technology, acoustics, and building control systems. Wayfinding is integrated into the facility’s design, giving a sleek finish. Masonry and cement flooring make for easy maintenance and cleaning, while floor-to-ceiling glass windows welcome natural light and offer guests a visual connection to the downtown Atlanta skyline.
The design team worked with a Perkins&Will research group to model glare, views, and direct sunlight infiltration for each seat and the playing floor. This work allowed for dramatic city views without affecting the usability of the facility.
As a hosting site for the 1996 Olympic Games and later the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team, Summerhill was once a thriving and vibrant community that has since experienced years of neglect and isolation. The new Convocation Center will attract visitors to the area for numerous sporting and cultural events.
On the project team:
Owner: Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia; Georgia State University
Design architect: Perkins&Will
Architect of record: The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM)
MEP engineer: CBRE, Heery
Structural engineer: Walter P Moore
General contractor: Brasfield & Gorrie
Civil Engineer & Landscape Architect: Kimley-Horn
Related Stories
Arenas | Jul 15, 2022
U. of Oregon renovation aims for ‘finest track and field facility in the world’
The renovation of the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field had the goal of creating the “finest track and field facility in the world.”
Building Team | Jun 14, 2022
Thinking beyond the stadium: the future of district development
Traditional sports and entertainment venues are fading as teams and entertainment entities strive to move toward more diversified entertainment districts.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | May 3, 2022
For glass openings, how big is too big?
Advances in glazing materials and glass building systems offer a seemingly unlimited horizon for not only glass performance, but also for the size and extent of these light, transparent forms. Both for enclosures and for indoor environments, novel products and assemblies allow for more glass and less opaque structure—often in places that previously limited their use.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 27, 2022
New Univ. of Texas Moody Center houses men’s and women’s basketball, other events
The recently completed 530,000 sf University of Texas Moody Center is the new home for men’s and women’s basketball at the Austin campus.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Apr 25, 2022
Iowa's Field of Dreams to get boutique hotel, new baseball fields
A decade ago, Go the Distance Baseball formed to preserve the Iowa farm site where the 1989 movie Field of Dreams was filmed.
Projects | Apr 5, 2022
San Francisco Giants open new training facility in Phoenix
The new San Francisco Giants Player Development Center at Papago Park in Phoenix, Ariz., includes a first-of-its-kind space for Major League Baseball training facilities: an indoor half field.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Feb 3, 2022
Populous designs two new venues for Birmingham
Global design firm Populous collaborated with the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center to open two new venues in Birmingham, Alabama this past Fall. Both venues are located in Birmingham’s downtown area, and are a part of the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC).
Arenas | Dec 13, 2021
Nokia Arena, Finland’s first multipurpose arena, completes
Studio Libeskind designed the project.
Arenas | Oct 27, 2021
World’s first net zero carbon arena opens in Seattle
Populous designed the project.
Arenas | Sep 20, 2021
LA Clippers unveil $1.8 billion Intuit Dome
AECOM is the lead designer for the project.
