Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance

The new Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood will be the first dedicated practice facility for a Women’s professional basketball team in the country, and the project is also notable for its design team: 85% of project team members across all disciplines are women. The project, aiming for LEED Gold certification, celebrates the Storm’s Pacific Northwest home, deriving inspiration from the roots of its industrial neighborhood and the team’s commitment to elite performance. The site design anchors the building in its context with a welcoming entry plaza that features rhythmic paving and lighting; a parking area that hosts two half-basketball courts; and a green roof and roof terrace. With a tight site footprint, we aimed to bring the site identity out to the street, creating a dynamic field of drought-tolerant coastal plants and grasses that provide year-round movement, reflect team colors, and support player health and wellness.