Practice Facility & Headquarters - Phoenix Mercury

The NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury ushered in a new era for the organization with a greater emphasis on women’s sports, with their first purpose-built space for the Mercury. Team Henderson collaborated with project partners to provide mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and fire alarm design for the Sun’s front office and Mercury’s dedicated practice facility following our work on the Verizon 5G Player Performance Center.

The 58,000 SF facility is located in the former 1960s Coors distribution warehouse. While maintaining much of its industrial character, the project team reimagined the building and included two full size basketball courts, performance and training spaces, hydrotherapy facilities, a film room, lounge spaces, outdoor amenities, and a kitchen fit for a full-time chef. Next door is the headquarters for both teams, providing space and support for staff and players from training, to strategizing, and the first tip-off of a game.

With an aggressive timeline and no room for delays, early procurement was essential. Our team was ahead of the game by developing design strategies that allowed key systems - including electrical gear and HVAC equipment - to be ordered before final designs or programming were complete. As a result, the building’s infrastructure set the framework for the evolving program, rather than the other way around.