haven gymnasium

  • Prize
    Jury's Favorite in Architectural Design - Recreational
  • Company/Firm
    Debartolo Architects
  • Lead Designer
    Jack DeBartolo 3
  • Design Team
    Jeff Kershaw, Mike Roth, Eric huffman, Mckenna Monheim
  • Architect
    Debartolo Architects
  • Const. Company
    Robert Porter Construction
  • Photo Credit
    Jason Roehner
  • Location
    Glendale, Arizona
  • Client
    Haven Church
  • Project Date
    April 2023

The gymnasium located in Glendale is the first building in a multi-phase master plan. The new sports complex allows the congregation to generously offer recreation programs to the surrounding community and church members. A new plaza, filled with benches and native mesquite trees, creates the critical link between the original church building and the new gym. A fog fountain brings much needed cooling vapors out of the ground around a ring of 12 large harvested boulders to create a natural gathering space.

The light-filled interior is achieved through an innovative cellular polycarbonate glazing system of long-span tongue & groove panels. The clerestory wraps three sides of the open volume allowing the interior to remain naturally illuminated throughout the day. The façade is composed of alternating panels of a concealed fastener rainscreen system. The large multisport room utilizes perforated structural deck to control the acoustics in the room while retaining a visually quiet interior. Designed as a sacred high performing space - the new gymnasium for the church offers both an understated interior that is at once high performing and simultaneously filled with gracious daylight.