Located in Pella, Iowa, this modern tennis facility features 12 new courts, four accessible restrooms, and ample equipment storage. The new facility replaces deteriorated city-owned courts and addresses long-standing poor soil conditions with post-tensioned concrete slabs, ensuring durability and longevity.
Strategically located on the site’s north half, the complex leaves open green space to the south, enhancing the area’s natural beauty and providing additional recreational opportunities. The site also integrates seamlessly with the city’s trail system, with the trail running between courts to provide easy access and encourage community engagement. At the southwest corner, a stormwater retention pond further contributes to sustainable land use.
The tennis complex is a shared community resource, open to the public to promote healthy living and regular exercise. Architecturally, it features two simple Concrete Masonry Unity masses beneath a striking tilted and overhanging roof plan. The space between the two masses creates a covered entrance, welcoming visitors with a central walkway.
The design provides daylighting through strategically placed glazing that emits a soft glow at night. To promote sustainability, the building is unconditioned. This approach minimizes power consumption to essential lighting and IT equipment, and the roof’s overhang reduces solar heat gains during peak operating hours.
The Pella High School Tennis Complex addresses past issues related to deteriorating courts and unstable soil conditions while fostering a vibrant community hub. The facility and its surrounding site amenities have become a vital resource for the community’s health and well-being
