The Sports Barn in Hoboken is housed in a former army hangar at Fort VIII — a striking 100-meter-long hall with magnificent wooden roof trusses. Inside, six basketball courts are lined up in sequence, while the front three bays accommodate the entrance hall, sanitary facilities, changing rooms, and storage spaces on the ground floor, with a lively cafeteria overlooking the courts from above. A compact stand completes the setup, making the venue suitable for competitions.
As tournaments and major matches grew in scale, the need for additional changing rooms and sanitary facilities became urgent. The sports department therefore asked us to transform the unused canteen and outdated sanitary block into a modern, functional extension. Our design makes the very best use of the available 160 m².
The first intervention was to reposition and upgrade the public sanitary facilities along the side of the sports hall. Women’s, men’s, and accessible toilets, together with a small storage room, are now directly accessible from the entrance area, greatly improving comfort and convenience for visitors.
The second intervention extended the existing “players’ corridor” to include two generous changing rooms with showers and toilets, a first aid room, two staff changing rooms, and a dedicated cleaning storage. The widened central section of the corridor also provides space for lockers, enhancing both functionality and flow.
By minimizing circulation space and carefully organizing the program, we succeeded in optimizing every square meter of the renovation.
The choice of materials reflects a commitment to durability and ease of maintenance:
Hygienic PU coatings in all sanitary areas for a clean and efficient environment.
Solid concrete benches designed to withstand heavy daily use.
A modest yet impactful intervention, the project reinforces the hangar’s robust character while equipping the Sports Barn with the facilities it needs to host future tournaments with confidence.