Annex Training Facility

Philadelphia Union

Location

Chester, PA

Status

Completed 2016

Size

16,600 gsf

Program

Offices, Weight Room, Training Center

The new training facility for the Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer team adapts a former turbine building that was part of a now decommissioned power plant along the Delaware River in Chester, Pennsylvania. The former industrial site also features the new Talen Energy Stadium which serves as the Union’s home field. The Commodore Barry Bridge provides a contextual backdrop to the site. The contrasting characteristics of the distinctively contemporary program and the 19th century industrial setting became an essential component of the design.

Constructed in 1939 by the Philadelphia Energy Company as an annex to the adjacent power plant, the structure was abandoned in 1984. Adapting the beaux arts style industrial structure to both meet the needs and embody the identity of a modern day professional sports program was the central challenge. The design approach embraced the buildings present state, celebrating its industrial heritage and preserving the intrinsic beautify of it’s gradual decay - allowing the building’s past and present to permeate every aspect of it’s new use.

The two-story, 16,600 square foot facility houses all the players needs in one location: a team dining and kitchen area; player’s lounge, team offices, coach and player locker rooms, video screening room, weight and fitness room, equipment storage, and training.

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