Key Project Attributes
- Grades: 9-12
- Students: 3,200
- Scope: New Construction
- Size: 42,000 square feet
- Completion: 2019
Design in Motion and Built for Performance—An Athletic Field House that Trains with You.
The new 42,000-square-foot Athletic Field House for Northwest ISD’s Byron Nelson High School transcends traditional thinking to deliver an innovative and creative design solution that supports athletic performance, wellness, and physical training. The design and planning of the facility are fully integrated into the landscape, reinforced by earth berms and sloping retaining walls that convey a sense of lift and motion within the architectural concept. Using accessible ramps and a variety of stairs, the building itself becomes an interactive training tool, allowing athletes to engage with the structure as part of their workouts.
Inclined and flat sprint areas are seamlessly integrated into the architecture, along with box jump steps and climbing stairs that enhance both functionality and purpose. To activate the upper level, a multi-purpose weight room features large overhead garage doors that open to an outdoor athletic terrace, extending strength and plyometric training. Due to the structural complexity of the storm shelter, the top level of the shelter is also designed for occupancy—providing a dynamic outdoor training area with panoramic campus views.
Located on the southern edge of the 83-acre campus, the new field house supports all outdoor athletic programs, including varsity, junior varsity, and freshman teams for football, baseball, softball, soccer, track and field, and cross country. The facility also houses athletic administration, coaches offices, locker rooms, a training room, and two team rooms for film study and game strategy. Team rooms and coaches offices are nestled beneath the sloping roofline, providing both spatial definition and commanding views of the surrounding fields.
The result is a high-performance environment that unites architecture, athletics, and landscape—empowering student-athletes through spaces designed to inspire movement, discipline, and team spirit.
“The team at Glenn|Partners seamlessly and creatively blended the requirements of the storm shelter with an interactive design for our new Athletic Field House that can also be used an athletic performance and training tool for our sports teams.”
