Populous has unveiled its design for the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center, a 210,000-square-foot facility slanted to become the world’s largest training center. Created through a collaboration between the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Clinic, and Bedrock Real Estate, the venue will be located along the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland. Pending approval, the groundbreaking is expected to happen before the end of 2024.
The Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center is set to become the first development of a new master plan for the revitalization of the Cuyahoga Riverfront, an expansive project covering 35 acres of the riverfront that prioritizes sustainability and inclusivity. The training center aims to become a sports science and wellness destination, gathering an international community of elite and everyday athletes.
The center is also designed to support the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, creating a hub of resources to contribute to the physical well-being of the players, thus helping the team reach its highest potential. The Clinic is also set to offer comprehensive care for the general public, including athletes of all sports and levels. For this, high-tech training equipment will be used under the guidance of expert professionals from a variety of specialties, including orthopedic surgery, sports medicine, cardiology, pulmonology, exercise physiology, neurology, nutrition, psychology, and genetics. Additionally, the center aims to leverage artificial intelligence technologies to gain insights into human performance, a development that could contribute to populations beyond athletes, such as healthcare patients, first responders, and the military.
The design of the center follows three core principles. Firstly, it aims to “enhance the river” and its surroundings by prioritizing connectivity and reintroducing public access to the waterfront. Secondly, the center seeks to “create a local icon” by strategically positioning it near the major sports complexes of the city and thus contributing to the city’s vision of vibrant neighborhoods. Lastly, it aims to “elevate the athlete’s experience” by offering comprehensive training, treatment, and recovery services. Additionally, programs such as the Cavs Academy will open the center to the general public to benefit the young athletes of Northeast Ohio.
Populous’ design of the Global Peak Performance Center will catalyze the Cuyahoga Riverfront development and energize the City of Cleveland. The building’s design connects the movement of the river with the motion of the athlete, blending seamlessly with the industrial character of its environment. -Jonathan Mallie, Senior Principal, Populous
Sports and entertainment-focused architecture office Populous has recently revealed the design of a new International Cricket Stadium near Manhattan to reuse Formula 1 grandstands to facilitate a modular accelerated building process. Populous has also unveiled plans for two venues in Qiddiya City near Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The first is a 5,155-seat Esports arena with immersive technologies and diverse offerings for event and non-event days. The second is the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, a 45,000-seat multi-sports venue situated on the Tuwaiq cliff.
