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USC Bloom Football Performance Center CLT Mass Timber Los Angelas 1

USC Bloom Football Performance Center

Redefining Collegiate Athletic Excellence with Hybrid Mass Timber

The Bloom Football Performance Center serves as the premier new home for University of Southern California (USC) Trojan Football. Spanning three stories and 180,000 square feet, this state-of-the-art Type IV-B facility is designed by HNTB to centralize football operations, recruitment, and advanced student-athlete development. Engineered to push the boundaries of modern sports architecture, the center provides a cutting-edge environment dedicated to optimizing athletic performance, wellness, and team culture at the highest collegiate level.

Pioneering Hybrid Engineering in High-Performance Facilities

The building sets a structural milestone through an innovative hybrid structural framework. Designed by Structural Engineer of Record John A. Martin & Associates, the facility integrates steel beams, steel columns, and concrete shear walls alongside exposed mass timber elements. Marking an industry first for this type of hybrid application, the structural system pairs concrete floor decks and steel beam framing directly with mass timber components. The timber elements take center stage in key areas, including the double-height weight room and the full-height central atrium, delivering natural warmth, biophilic benefits, and open, light-filled spaces that elevate the daily student-athlete experience.

Project Highlights

  • Pioneering Hybrid System: Implements a groundbreaking structural design combining Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), exposed glulam columns, structural steel, and concrete shear walls under Type IV-B construction.
  • Precision CLT Manufacturing: SmartLam manufactured and supplied the high-performance Cross-Laminated Timber panels, fabricated to exacting tolerances to integrate seamlessly with the hybrid steel and concrete framework.
  • Elite Athletic Infrastructure: Provides 180,000 square feet of dedicated space for USC Athletics, including advanced training facilities, hydrotherapy, team meeting auditoriums, and recruitment suites.
  • Collaborative Delivery: Executed through close coordination with Clark Construction (General Contractor), HNTB (Architect), John A. Martin & Associates (SEOR), and Western Wood Structures (Mass Timber Supply and Installation).

Technical Execution

Completed in 2026, the construction of the Bloom Football Performance Center required meticulous tolerance coordination between prefabricated mass timber elements and conventional structural materials. SmartLam manufactured the precision CLT components to meet the complex load and vibration performance requirements essential for a heavy-impact athletic training facility. Partnering with Western Wood Structures for timber supply and erection, the build team ensured flawless multi-material connection detailing and efficient site sequencing. The completed center stands as a premier showcase of modern wood engineering, blending structural strength with natural biophilia to support the next era of Trojan athletics.

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