The New York office of Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum is flexing its design muscles on Kean University’s new arena and a comprehensive renovation of the school’s existing D’Angola Gymnasium in Union, N.J. The overall project includes a new 65,000-square-foot arena and dressing rooms, office facilities, three basketball courts with seating for 2,500 for varsity games, and a suspended running track. The 55,000-square-foot gym gets a renovation plus a 10,000-square-foot addition that will include dance studios, classrooms, physical education labs, and faculty offices. The project is scheduled for completion in 2005.

The school and the architects have made sustainable design and construction a priority and therefore have incorporated photovoltaic cells, natural ventilation, and geothermal heating and cooling into the project design. The geothermal heat pump requires more than 100 wells—each 400 feet deep—to reject and absorb heat from the earth. The building is designed to capture and use as much natural sunlight as possible, for example through light shelves that bounce light to where it is wanted and still shade the windows from intense sunlight. Construction materials reflect those of the surrounding campus and suggest a simplified palette. The architects report that wherever possible they will use materials that do not require coatings or finishes in order to minimize off-gassing, conserve resources, and reduce costs. In addition, the new facility grounds will be landscaped to reflect a common athletic theme through use of balls and nets.

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