Cullman-Heyman Tennis Center
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University ’s current indoor tennis facility needed renovation and expansion from four to eight courts to accommodate tournaments and ease the crush of daily practice. To fit on a tight sloping site and improve fans’ experience, Centerbrook has designed a wedge shaped central viewing lobby that connects a new court building to the old. The two tennis pavilions match each other in lighting and size to keep all courts equivalent for competition.

The lobby is one story above the new courts allowing seating very close to the tennis action, while being 4 feet above the old courts to add more viewing for that pavilion. A staff desk can see the entry and all courts from the lobby while coaches will be able to move quickly from one pavilion to the other via a hallway below.