Henry Ford Health System Detroit Pistons Performance Center

The design vision embraces the surrounding urban environment and immerses the NBA franchise into the community. Using a campus approach, the Pistons’ basketball and business operations are integrated with the adjacent William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine. To provide services for the area, 25,000 square feet of leasable space at grade is available for community commerce. The architectural expression of the Performance Center is reflective of its location at the intersection of Detroit industry and technology. Ground-floor materials were selected to contextually relate to historic buildings and an adjacent rail viaduct. The cantilevered sawtooth curtain wall above allows daylighting into the offices with glazing performance strategies to reduce solar heat gain. The design strategy of transparency, including glass windows on all sides of the basketball court, creates a connection between internal departments as well as a visual connection to the city landscape.