McCarthey Athletic Center, Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA
The $25 million McCarthey Athletic Center is the new home for the Gonzaga Bulldog basketball games. The 6,000-seat arena was designed and constructed within a compressed 20-month period following a design-build process led by ALSC Architects and Graco Construction, with additional support by Ellerbe Becket, a Kansas City-based design firm that specializes in sports venues. Masonry is an integral part of the building’s interior. Non-load bearing smooth and split face painted concrete masonry, chosen for its durability and cost, is the primary wall material used throughout the building. In the entry lobby and the concourse end walls, the brick was brought inside on column elements for continuity from exterior to interior and to provide warmth and richness at the public gathering spaces. The masonry on the arena was used to anchor the soaring structure to the ground. A prime example of this is on the north side, where masonry walls are intentionally corbelled to visually buttress the thrust of the main roof. Associate Athletic Director Chris Standiford says the masonry features are what give the building the image of strength that Gonzaga was seeking.