CASE STUDY — ARCHITECTURE

Jackson State Facility Renovation — Down to the wire

A locker room renovation for a football program suddenly under national attention, delivered on a construction timeline set by outside pressure, not internal planning.

ROLE

Architectural Designer

PROJECT TYPE

Athletic Facility Renovation

WHAT I DESIGNED

Full Locker Room Scope

CASE STUDY — ARCHITECTURE

Jackson State Facility Renovation — Down to the wire

A locker room renovation for a football program suddenly under national attention, delivered on a construction timeline set by outside pressure, not internal planning.

ROLE

Architectural Designer

PROJECT TYPE

Athletic Facility Renovation

WHAT I DESIGNED

Full Locker Room Scope

ackson State University's facility renovations had been on the books for years, moving at the pace architecture and construction projects usually do. That changed when the university hired Deion Sanders as head football coach. His arrival put the program under a level of public attention the university hadn't accounted for, and every stalled renovation suddenly needed to happen fast.

The Challenge: Compressed Timelines & High-Stakes Friction

Traditional architectural workflows move linearly: schematic design → documentation → bidding → construction.

Due to external pressure, linear design was impossible. We had to execute concurrent design-build sprints—specifying spatial layouts, lighting design, and material systems while contractors were actively prepping the physical site.

Traditional architectural workflows move linearly: schematic design → documentation → bidding → construction.

Spatial Information Architecture & Circulation Flow

Designing an elite athletic locker room is a spatial usability challenge.

Pre-Game High-Energy Prep: Clear sightlines, intuitive circulation paths preventing choke points, and seamless integrated media/audio systems.

Post-Game Recovery: Ergonomic seating density, durable moisture-resistant tactile surfaces, and accessible sanitation zoning.

Recruiting & Brand Touchpoint: Visual hierarchy that guides visitors through high-impact brand touchpoints from entry to locker bays.

I mapped spatial circulation paths to ensure 100+ athletes and staff could move through the environment simultaneously without operational bottlenecks.

Outcome

The renovation was completed and delivered to the team.

(Video: team walkthrough of the finished space.)

The renovation was completed and delivered to the team.

(Video: team walkthrough of the finished space.)

What I'd Take From This

Working under a deadline set by public perception, not internal planning, taught me what pressure actually does to a process. It doesn't excuse sloppy work. It removes the option of anything else.

Credits

Credit to the team at Durrell Design Group. A small firm, working through countless late nights and early mornings to hit a deadline that gave them no other option. The size of the team had no relationship to the size of what they delivered.

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Jackson State Facility Renovation — Down to the wire

Jackson State Facility Renovation — Down to the wire

The Challenge: Compressed Timelines & High-Stakes Friction

Spatial Information Architecture & Circulation Flow

Designing an elite athletic locker room is a spatial usability challenge.

Outcome

What I'd Take From This

Back to Work

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