Nashville Soccer Club Practice Facility

Project Statement

Thoughtful site grading strategies transform the modest 15-acre, triangular-shaped site into a focused environment that caters to player development for the Nashville Soccer Club. A verdant berm along the site’s western edge is used in tandem with its setback from main thoroughfares to provide privacy for the Club’s three full-sized soccer pitches and nearby interior spaces. Together with its site, the building’s orientation and massing separate public and private programming, resulting in a distinct sense of arrival for players, staff, and the public.
Player locker rooms, hydrotherapy, recovery rooms, and a double-height weight room are arranged in a linear sequence to seamlessly guide players through their daily training routines without disruption. A moveable glass wall system spans the entire length of training spaces to connect players physically and visually to the adjacent pitches. This transparency connects players to their teammates while reinforcing the interrelated nature of practice and performance.
A players-only lounge and dining commons strengthen team bonding, while strategically located respite areas and a series of outdoor terraces overlooking the pitches support individual relaxation. In addition to offering shelter and shade, the striking metal-clad plane brings together distinct programs and symbolically unifies the players and staff of Nashville Soccer Club.

Framework for Design Excellence Narrative

**Design for Integration** \n The Nashville SC Training Facility demonstrates how an unlikely project type, professional sports training facilities, can be integrated into mixed-use developments. The facility maintains a balanced relationship between public and private functions while remaining connected to neighboring establishments.

**Design for Water** \n The facility's three practice pitches are strategically placed to take advantage of the site's existing topography. Initially perceived as a design hurdle to overcome, the slope was leveraged to provide optimal drainage for the practice areas, allowing stormwater to flow naturally into nearby swales. This approach to water management was integrated from the project's early planning stages. Careful siting of each program element eliminated the need for intensive site re-grading and drainage infrastructures.

**Design for Well-being** \n Designed for both recovery and performance, Nashville Soccer Club's Training Facility prioritizes holistic player and staff well-being through its comprehensive program offerings and harmonious interior ambiance. The facility exudes a bright, hospitality-like interior with a natural material and color palette—a stark contrast to the SC's home game environment, characterized by heavy steel and electric gold and blue. Branding moments are subdued and intentional, contributing to a calm and focused training and workplace environment.