Athletics are an important component of campus life at Lehigh University, and student-athletes compete in two dozen sports in the Patriot League. However, the Northeast’s bitter cold and heavy precipitation bookend sports seasons and cause havoc when scheduling practices and playoffs. Lehigh University and Alloy5 worked together to create an indoor athletic facility that could accommodate football practice, lacrosse practice, games during snowstorms, and soccer practices.

Lehigh University’s pride in its athletic program was the starting point for designing this expansive indoor athletic facility. The Lehigh Mountain Hawk logo glows in the large curtain wall entrance with simple metal panels and exterior finishes surrounding it. With the exception of an entry lobby and building support, this facility dedicates every square foot of space to athletic turf to maximize the investment in student-athletes.

The new 94,000 SF facility includes camera platforms at one end and midfield; a roll-up garage door to move equipment, groomer machine and vehicles; a small scoreboard with shot clocks, tip and roll bleachers for spectator seating; netting to protect from lacrosse balls; and the potential to hang batting cages from the ceiling. The facility is also being considered to accommodate the annual Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Show, a four-day event that features cars, trucks, SUVs and vans spread over 110,000 square feet at the Murray H. Goodman Campus.