Practice Facilities Shine with Guardian 275® Translucent Panels

Major Colleges and Universities across the country have been pushing more and more dollars toward indoor athletic facilities in order to provide better practice facilities for their student athletes, and to entice potential athletes to attend. But these facilities aren't just for keeping student athletes out of the rain and snow... they can also be useful when the temperature dips below freezing or when the Summer heat makes it difficult to focus on practices.

Miami University in Ohio recently constructed the David and Anita Dauch Indoor Sports Center, a 91,000-square-foot facility that's adjacent to the main outdoor stadium. While it looks like a simple football field, the set-up can be modified by netting and other means to accommodate additional sports. “You can cut the field in half, so baseball can be on one and softball on the other,” said David Sayler, the University's Athletic Director, in a recent article in the Oxford Journal-News. “We have netting at the ends as well, and on the sides, so baseball and softball can actually hit balls in here. Golf hits balls in here, there’s track lanes over on the other side of the facility. There’s a jump pit on the end. Soccer can use this, lacrosse, everybody.”

The facility, designed by RATIO Architects, Inc., utilizes Guardian 275® translucent panel wall systems throughout, allowing for diffuse natural light to enter the large practice space while also limiting solar heat gain during Summer months when off-season workouts and practices are in full swing. With a wide variety of sheet color combinations and insulation options, Major can provide a Guardian 275® configuration that will fit your building's needs.


No matter what type of athletic facility you're designing, adding translucent panel daylighting can cut down on energy costs, eliminate glare and hot-spots, and help create a distraction-free training environment for athletes. And with Major's wide range of glazing and performance options, we can put together a custom solution that's both practical and eye-catching. Contact us today!