Set to redefine excellence in professional sports training, the renovation of the Baltimore Ravens’ 20,000-square-foot Under Armour Performance Center—also known as “The Castle”—has transformed the facility into a premium performance and wellness space. Reimagined to reflect the Ravens’ values and meet their evolving needs to support peak performance, the space boosts team connection, players’ mental clarity, and physical recovery—all within a setting that blends understated sophistication with functionality. Taking inspiration from the nest of a raven—among the strongest of all bird species—the facility is designed to promote power and focus to support the mind, body, and soul of its players.

Informed by conversations and feedback from players, coaches, and staff, The Castle’s renovation is highly tailored to the Ravens’ values and operations. The first phase of the facility’s renovation expands the team’s training and recovery resources and promotes wellness by doubling the size of the former hydrotherapy suite and training room, reimagining the position meeting rooms, and introducing dedicated spaces for medical care and nutrition.

At the heart of The Castle, the new hydrotherapy suite offers a restorative environment designed to promote recovery and rejuvenation. Anchored by a 50-foot, two-lane lap pool, therapy pool, and hot and cold plunge pools—each large enough to accommodate up to 20 players—the suite also features an array of custom-built infrared saunas and Cryotherm plunge pools for added therapeutic benefits.

More than an aesthetic choice, biophilic design is a defining feature of the space—and a key differentiator from other professional training facilities. Rooted in the understanding that a connection to nature can support recovery, reduce stress, and enhance well-being, the design integrates natural elements to foster a calming, high-performance environment, while earthy tones and natural materials further ground the design in nature. Inspired by a raven’s forest habitat, the hydrotherapy suite features a warm wood ceiling and stone-look porcelain tile, echoing the organic environments where the raven thrives. A dramatic skylight centered over the lap pool invites in daylight, giving the space a tranquil, spa-like ambiance. These biophilic elements do more than elevate the visual experience—they help create the mental and physical conditions players need to perform at their peak.

The training room’s open-concept layout improves sightlines for trainers and athletes and enhances spatial flow and overall functionality. A new 135-foot operable glass wall opens to the practice field, flooding the room with natural light and providing unobstructed views. Before the renovation, the training room was crowded with medical treatment tables. Now, a dedicated and adjacent private clinic gives players and staff a discrete space to seek care.

Across the facility, custom-designed environmental graphics by ZGF celebrate the spirit and ethos of the Baltimore Ravens. In the hydrotherapy suite, the “Raven Wall” features a custom etching of an artistic raven emblem comprised of 53—representing the number of players on an active NFL roster—smaller ravens. Along the training room corridor, a triptych of etched metal walls highlights the team’s core values: Family, Relentless, W.I.N. (What’s Important Now). At the new entrance to the locker room, a raised relief of the Ravens’ crest stands as a powerful symbol of the organization’s rich tradition and history, greeting players as they walk in.

In football, the principle of “finding the hole” encourages players to seek the most direct and efficient path in each play. This philosophy inspired The Castle’s improved and streamlined layout. After observing how players and staff navigated the pre-existing facility, ZGF noticed occupants’ tendency to cut through rooms, even if it meant disrupting activity. Rather than resist this ingrained behavior, ZGF sought to embrace it by creating pathways that enable intuitive and unobstructed movement.

Spaces are now organized along a central spine with looping circulation that eliminates dead ends. The locker room entrance was reoriented to reduce foot traffic through the hydrotherapy suite, while a dedicated path in the training room directs activity away from treatment areas. An operable wall along the training room opens to the practice field, creating a fluid transition for users moving from the building to the field. Additionally, the main entry for players coming off the field was expanded into a new, spacious nutrition and information hub. These design choices respect the habits and patterns of athletes, translating the playbook into architecture that supports peak performance at every step.

To ensure the facility was completed ahead of the 2025 season—and to minimize disruption to ongoing operations—ZGF and Whiting-Turner meticulously phased construction around the NFL offseason calendar. With zero margin for delay, the team delivered the project in five-and-a-half months, an ambitious timeline made possible through strategic planning and real-time adaptability.

The scope of work included complex overhead and subterranean elements, requiring constant coordination and agile logistics. In order to hit the ground running, the team identified opportunities to begin early work around the Ravens’ 2024 practice calendar, shaving weeks off the timeline. This included capitalizing on long weekends to conduct geotechnical borings and perform test piles when the players were away for West Coast games. These critical early activities were key to derisking the job and speeding up construction.

In parallel, the project team examined every element of design for opportunities to increase construction efficiency. One such example was the ceiling, where thermally modified wood was selected for its ability to be prefabricated off-site and be easily filed on-site where needed—significantly speeding up installation. This project approach allowed for a seamless integration of new infrastructure within an active facility.

With the increasing competitive landscape of the NFL, it’s imperative that training facilities rise to the challenge. By delivering spaces that nurture both physical and mental well-being, athletes can be empowered to reach their full potential. Blending sophistication and utility, the Under Armour Performance Center sets a new benchmark for training environments and provides the Ravens with a premium performance and wellness space they can call home.