Taking A Cue From A Leading Architect For Locker Room Ideas
Every fan of the game heard the news of Chelsea redesigning the stadium. The world of social media was filled with comments like “looks like an ashtray” and “is that a UFO?” The average person had just one thought in mind that a sports stadium and the locker room within it should not be so overtly designed. This perspective leads to the questions – what does it take to imagine and then build a dressing room for athletes? And where does an Architect get the inspiration from?
Jerry from Dwellion, a prominent architecture firm, says, “Buildings are not mere functional spaces. They are also meant to make the inhabitants feel better.” Every architect who knows his or her craft will agree. It means when you are thinking of designing a space that holds some of the highest paid entertainers of the world, it better be good.
While an exercise regime and workout routine keep the players in peak physical fitness, the changing room can create the best mental conditions. Why? Because it is the last place, they spend time in before moving on to the pitch. It implies that designing an environment that offers no excuses for losing the game is imperative.Here you check some more info about the things happening in inside of the winning dressing room.
Ideas To Creating The Architecture Of A Dressing Room
Jerry also states, “The best way for an architect to go while cooking up a dressing room is clean and simple space.” It ensures that the journey from the changing room to the ground is accessible and unhindered from distractions. Clean architecture means that the players will remain focused on the game.
Another tip is to create a room with no corners. An oval or round space with an empty centre means that no cliques will be formed. Most teams have players from different cities, states, and even countries which gives rise to small groups forming within it. An open locker room lets everyone be together while corners can club some players together. While a flowing area in the room is excellent, a balance has to be struck.
Some athletes like to have “me time” before the game. No corners mean there are no private nooks where a player can be slightly alone. Furthermore, a circular look might be open, but curves can sometimes cramp stations together. Given the physical stature of players, if each station is not given enough space, then team members will keep bumping into each other.
One vital point of consideration when planning locker rooms for football players is the hub area. There are a few ways an architect can go:
• Keep the middle void of anything.
• Put benches where refreshments for the players can be stacked.
• A central trolley to dump laundry in.
Or go a unique way like Twickenham stadium which put medical beds in the middle. The logic was that even injured
players are part of the team and sending them off to another area cuts them off. By ensuring that they receive care in front of other players, they are not separated.
What Else To Keep In Mind While Planning A Changing Room
• Anything kept in the line of sight of players is prone to damage. Because when players come back upset that “thing”
becomes the target of venting.
• The room cannot be too luxurious because they are meant to be transitional spaces. Imagine a team changing during half time and then relaxing into plush sofas instead of focussing on the briefing. Therefore, keep the room motivational but not incredibly comfortable. The goal is to keep the players’ attention on the ball.
• While luxury is not the right avenue, being too spartan is also not. The space should look good to the players so that the correct zone of mind is created.
At the end of the day, as long as it is functioning, promoting interaction and motivating them – the changing room has done its work. To take one more quote from Jerry of Dwellion, “Even the smallest of elements in architecture can make a massive difference.”