Architecture Tour: Laney College

Project Name: Laney College Athletic Fields and Field House
Thursday, March 20, 2014
4:45-6:15 PM
Location: Corner of E. 8th & 5th Street Oakland, CA
Cost: $5 AIA Members, $10 Guests
1.5 CES LU's

The flagship of the Peralta Community College District, Laney College stretches across 60 acres in downtown Oakland. The remote location of the athletic fields required student athletes to dress at the main campus, and then walk several blocks to the fields. To attract student athletes with the talent to star at Laney—and then continue their careers at major colleges across the nation—improved facilities with adjacent state-of-the-art training and dressing rooms were essential. The new 18,000 sf Field House, carefully sited adjacent to the football field and the new baseball diamond, anchors all of Laney College’s athletic resources. The building has become a powerful recruiting tool. The linear massing and continuous, sloping roof convey a feeling of motion expressive of athletic prowess. A dramatic double-height lobby features a “Wall of Fame,” and a balcony adjacent to the Director’s office offers views of athletic activities in all directions. We do not believe it’s a coincidence that the Laney College baseball team won its first division championship the year they inaugurated their new Field House and baseball diamond.

List of Tour Leaders:

Douglas Thornley, AIA
Principal, Gould Evans
Role on Team: Principal in Charge

Aaron Thornton
Senior Associate, Gould Evans
Role on Team: Project Designer

Amber Evans
Senior Associate, Gould Evans
Role on Team: Job Captain/Designer

John Beam
Athletic Director & Offensive Coordinator, Laney College Eagles
Role on Team: Owner’s Representative

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this tour attendees will be able to state three ways the design build delivery were beneficial to the resulting project.

• At the end of this tour attendees will be able to state at least three sustainability goals for the field house and how they were met.

• At the end of this tour attendees will be able state at least three of five sustainability goals for the Athletic fields and how they were met.

 • At the end of this tour attendees will be able to identify design features developed with the goal of using the facilities as an athletic recruiting tool.