LeBron James Innovation Center
Beaverton, OR
A new epicenter focused on the athlete and innovation revolutionizes green building
- Passive ventilation and daylighting via a central atrium
- 300-kW photovoltaic array
- Energy-efficient air-source heat pump central utility plant
- LEED Platinum®
Images courtesy of Nike
Nike, a dedicated steward of the environment, is building on a rich legacy of athletic excellence and renown as “the most innovative company in the world.” The company’s 700,000 sq. ft. LeBron James Innovation Center at Nike World is one of several new facilities on the WHQ campus, and the facility’s prominent, central site establishes Nike’s ongoing research and development as the heart of its new campus. Designed to embody the concept of speed, the Innovation Center was inspired by the high-performance physicality and athleticism of the Nike brand. Design studios, offices and meeting spaces, prototyping labs, an indoor research facility, and an inclined, 100-meter outdoor track establish the facility as a high-functioning workshop where the latest innovations in sports technology can be designed, built, tested, and refined.
O’Brien360 joined the project as LEED project manager traveling to Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton and using the integrative process to guide the project team through all phases of design. We also provided general technical support and conducted construction document reviews. The LeBron James Innovation Center is the second-largest LEED-NC v2009 Platinum building on the West Coast and the largest in Oregon state. Sustainability strategies include passive ventilation, daylighting via the central atrium, and a 300-kW photovoltaic array. The use of local and resilient materials and building-wide water conservation strategies further support the project’s sustainability goals.
The building, which started construction in 2017, was completed in 2020.