UGA Stegeman Coliseum

The renovation of Stegeman Coliseum at the University of Georgia presented Koons Environmental Design, Inc. the opportunity to be involved in a project engaging one of the most architecturally fascinating buildings on the campus. The Coliseum, constructed in the early 1960’s, is actually two structures, the large barrel shaped concrete roof and the building beneath. The two are only connected via an aluminum bellows which seals the joints and permits the rise and fall of the roof with temperature change.

The $13 million renovation project includes most noticeably an expanded concourse and lobby space defined by floor to ceiling glass curtain walls and vast graphics. Enclosing the coliseum structure required the redesign of two main entrances into the building, the Carlton St. entry on the north and the Smith St. entry on the south. The Carlton St. entry brings visitors nine feet up two grand staircases to a terrace with views looking both into the new concourse and back towards the campus to the North. The terrace and staircases are anchored by an arcing concrete wall and steel railings. The Smith St. entry also has an entry terrace but grade change between the terrace level and existing sidewalk on this side of the coliseum allowed for blended stairs along a majority of the building face.  Additionally, Koons Environmental Design, Inc. prepared planting plans for areas beyond the building entrances to enhance the pedestrian arrival sequence to the building.