The additions and renovations at Manley Athletics complex included renovations to the Syracuse University football team dining room and adjacent Player Lounge. The renovations to the existing spaces removed interior walls and opened up the lounge to the dining room.

The dining space has a clear circulation pattern of entry, procession through the serving line, exit to seating and eventually tray drop off and exit from the dining room. Circulation is thereby eliminated through the seating area. Several alcoves along the glass wall create an atmosphere of intimate dining within the large 125 seat space. The liberal use of contrasting woods for the chairs and the feature walls help to warm the space and create a higher end dining experience. Stained existing concrete provides for a sustainable, durable and maintainable flooring surface. Suspended cloud ceilings dampen noise levels and allow the space to be divided into smaller areas within a large space.

The Players’ Lounge is a serene place for the players to congregate between practices and after games. It features two large flat screen displays that double as message boards and TVs. Lounge and chair seating is provided and can serve a variety of functions and be rearranged depending on the occasion. Durable carpet tile covers the floor and provides acoustic dampening. In order to bring natural light to the interior space round skylights, painted Syracuse Orange, punctuate the ceiling and are mimicked by circular lights of the same dimension. Linear light fixtures on both sides of the transparent glass wall between the Lounge and Café helps to connect the spaces visually.

The design also includes new, state of the art, locker and shower rooms for the coaches and the athletes. The lockers feature lock boxes with electric for charging of cell phones and iPads. Locker compartments are placed under negative pressure and holes in the doors allow for return air to flow through the locker compartments to dry out clothing and keep the locker room smelling fresh. New showers and toilet rooms complement the new design with low flow fixtures and energy efficient lighting. Technology is everywhere and includes flat screens for showing recent games and message boards.

This renovation helped to create a found space within the football complex that has become a showcase for the Syracuse University Football Team and that has become a highlight on the tour for future recruits.