The Centerville Welcome Center is focused on the rich history of basketball in Indiana, a state that has produced many famous players, coaches, and stories of the sport. Of the thirteen largest high school basketball gymnasium in the country, eleven of them reside in Indiana. We conducted a study of many fieldhouses across the state and channeled the common architectural themes into the Centerville Welcome Center. It is designed with large steel trusses, traditional brick, and wood cladding, and limestone, that all echo what is commonly seen in familiar Indiana fieldhouses.

The terrazzo floor inside is designed as a basketball half court, and lobby seating includes bleachers and stadium seating where an individual could rest while waiting for their family members or fellow travelers in the facilities. We worked closely with a custom branding consultant to integrate elements of messaging throughout the building to inform visitors of Indiana’s rich history of basketball, that began when farmers in the early 1900s finished the seasons crops and took up the winter habit of playing basketball in their large barn spaces. We trace that thread all the way to the days of Larry Bird, as well as the Indiana Hoosiers, and more. A large score board is displayed in the center of the lobby that can display dates, times, traffic information, and more.

The orientation of the Centerville Welcome Center was carefully studied by our team to ensure it is clearly visible and welcoming to drivers along the I-70 corridor. The building operates on an underground geothermal heating and cooling system that is more energy efficient and reduces the building’s carbon load. Outdoor landscape features basketball courts with sloping surfaces so the balls will always roll back to the hoop so they don’t get lost as often over time.