Pan Athletic Center

The 70,000 square foot athletic center is sited between the main historic campus and a new field house at Phillips Academy Andover, an independent secondary school. The entrance presents a welcoming face to the central campus with a two-story lobby from which the building’s various activities are at once visible through glass walls and bold graphics. The natatorium, dance performance space, Hall of Honor, and entrance lobby are expressed individually through distinct massing. Throughout the building spaces for social gatherings or quiet study create an inclusive environment, inviting students to spend time in the building beyond athletic pursuits.

The exterior material palette is an expression of the bridging role between the historic campus and the more modern athletic campus. The historic Flemish bond brick and slate shingles are used in contemporary ways to transition visually between the old and new.

The natatorium is the centerpiece of the facility, capable of hosting large regional swim meets. The space is generously daylit to provide views of nature and an awareness of the passage of time. Specially designed shades can be lowered to accommodate Muslim students’ need for privacy when wearing swimwear.  

The project uses a microturbine system to support the year-round heating load of the natatorium. By generating building electricity on site, waste heat is harnessed from the turbines to cover the building’s hot water load.

This project was completed as a design-build project in collaboration with Stanmar.