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Basketball Sports Complex Design Trends

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Sports Complex Design Trends: Basketball

Overall, the basic rules for the game of basketball have not changed much since its inception, yet basketball court design has changed with the implementation of modern building materials and the drive for innovation. Sports complexes are fighting to be on the cutting edge of design, including three trends that have made an impact on indoor sports facilities: ecological responsibility, multi-purpose adaptations, and artistic flooring.

Ecological Responsibility

Green homes, business, and cars have been in the consumer market for a while now. Greener sports complexes are currently emerging as a national trend. Not only are consumers more willing to spend their time and money at ecologically responsible businesses but also greener building materials are now available that provide for more cost effective maintenance.
The best example of this is the metal halide lamp. It provides the same brightness at 750-850 watts as the traditional 1,000-watt lamp. This adds up to decreases in energy consumption, longevity of bulbs and fixtures, as well as a reduction in ambient temperatures. Sustainable and recycled flooring materials are also available that require less stripping and polishing over their lifetime. This equates to less cleaning and maintenance downtime for any recreation center or sports complex.

Multi-purpose Adaptations

Modern basketball sports complexes are more and more often transforming into recreation centers with multi-purpose adaptations. Simple adjustments, such as retractable hoops hung from the ceiling and roll-down netting, found on college campuses are now installed in commercial sports complex designs to transform a single use basketball court into a gymnasium that can also accommodate volleyball, indoor tennis, and round robin type short games.
The ability to divide a professional sized basketball court also allows for junior league practices and games. Multiplying the uses of such a large space further multiplies its profitability. This is a trend long used by the educational system that is seeing a revival among commercial basketball sports complexes.

Artistic Flooring

With the advances in flooring technology, gone are the basic honey colored wood floors with painted lines in primary colors. Professional sports teams have been adding logos to their courts for decades now, but college basketball teams have recently pushed the boundaries of color to make bold artistic statements.
Local flair is a recurrent theme with Maryland, South Carolina, and Texas A & M. Sports complexes incorporating elements from their state flags onto the court add dramatic emphasis. The Lakers, Celtics, and Hornets have created simple contrast in their floor updates by darkening the sidelines. This forms a visual border that highlights the court’s field of play. Additionally, The University of Central Florida took honors for elegance in 2013 by eliminating the look of natural woodwork altogether. Their court features a black and gray themed floor with yellow highlighting that dares spectators to look away. There is just one word in this trend, “color” and lots of it.
Designers of basketball sports complexes have many trends to choose from in modern design, but greener, multi-purpose courts with eye-catching artistry are by far the most talked about trends. Consider each of these as a top priority for new buildings and renovations of existing sports complexes. If you need any more tips or want a professional eye to help you achieve your goal, contact Sports Facilities Advisory.

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