AIA Abilene has a site tour Thursday March 4 that is worth 1 LU. See information below.

About this Course

AYSA Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center has been a major collaboration project over 10 years in the making between AYSA, private donors, the city of Abilene, and the community at large. The site was chosen and developed through the city and AYSA working together; using city land and privately raised funds through the non-profit AYSA to construct the facility. The building itself contains the AYSA offices, event/meeting rooms, a two-story lobby with concessions and restrooms, and the multi-court gym with locker/storage below the second story seating.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will apply lessons learned from site constraints that provided the architect opportunities in building placement on the site and design. Site conditions helped direct where the building would be placed, the decision to lower the court level from the main lobby space, and the connection of the lobby/entrance to other key community facilities in the area.

1. Participants will be able to identify building design strategies for design and construction of very large multi-sport spaces for both viewing and participation over two levels in the structure: while working with-in the building and fire code. Maximizing openness/visibility and maintaining safety and code compliance.

1. Participants will be able to describe how the building utilizes architecture and mechanical systems to maintain efficiency and consistency in heating/cooling such a large volume. As well as using multiple glazing systems to help reduce lighting loads in the gym area.

1. Participants will be able to describe how the building utilizes architecture and structural systems to achieve smaller meeting and office spaces; as well as the large volume spaces required by the program of AYSA. The design was also focused on future expansion; how future construction phases would be done and not disrupt the current facility will in use.