DLA+ Sports Medicine Project

The sports medicine market has seen significant growth over the past few years and that growth is expected to continue. An increased participation in sports and fitness activities coupled with more preventative care approaches to sports injuries is contributing to the market growth. Due to this expansion, collegiate institutions are investing more resources in sports, health, and wellness facilities, including sports medicine and training rooms. Additionally, given the current COVID-19 crisis, we believe institutions will continue investing in innovative products and technologies to improve the health and wellness of its students. Design will continue to play a big role in this moving forward.

In March, DLA+ completed a full interior renovation of the University of Pittsburgh’s 3,500 SF Sports Medicine Training Room located in the state-of-the-art Duratz Athletic Complex. The complex includes training rooms, team meeting rooms, weight room, locker room, team lounge, and dining facility. It also houses coaching and administration offices as well as the Panthers’ academic support center.

DLA+ Rendering of Pitt Football Sports Medicine Facility

The project vision was to redesign the space to maximize the training staff’s efficiency, incorporate the most current treatment methods, and promote health and wellness for Pitt’s athletes. The renovation included all new finishes, full height glass partitions to maximize visibility to the players, new casework, new training and taping tables, and a new ceiling design with linear LED lights that allows for continuous light without direct or indirect views of the light source.   

The University of Pittsburgh Football training staff continuously seek innovative solutions to protect athletes and promote wellness. This led to the incorporation of an innovative and crucial design element: the proprietary UV disinfectant lighting by Puro. Pitt is the first collegiate football team to introduce this technology into their Sports Medicine Training Room. The ceiling-mounted lights kill up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses and can significantly reduce the growth of fungi such as yeasts and molds. 

DLA+ Rendering of Pitt Football Sports Medicine Facility

DLA+ worked closely with the Puro team on the spacing and programming to ensure the lighting delivered the greatest impact. The new technology gives the staff the ability to disinfect a room on demand, program a cleaning schedule to run overnight while the facility is unoccupied, or integrate the technology directly into the building automation system. The lighting’s automation and benefits made it a viable option for the University.

As colleges and universities continue investing in students’ health, wellness, and sports programs, it is important to know which design elements can have the greatest impact in creating safe and healthy environments. The Coronavirus phenomenon will influence the future of facility design and will impact materials, finishes, and space layouts. It is time to start prioritizing these changes and implementing new technology so that students, athletes, and staff can feel confident in their environments.

Reach out to us with any questions regarding the technology used in Pitt Football’s Sports Medicine Facility or about future changes that could occur due to the current health crisis.