Exeter Squash: Not Just a Side Dish

Phase one Exeter’s new squash center is ready for action, just in time for squash season. Early funding and an accelerated construction schedule allowed for the completion of a significant portion of the two-phase project. This phase replaces seven old and non-conforming courts with 10 new, international regulation courts in Exeter’s Love Gym facility, and reconfigures some of the other athletics program spaces. When it is funded, phase two will add six additional squash courts and commensurate viewing areas.

For years, the Exeter squash program suffered a serious shortage of useable courts that made training all levels of player a logistical headache and prevented the school from hosting interscholastic tournaments. The new squash center, designed by Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC), will not only improve the player experience by better meeting the existing demand for courts, but also make coaching and watching the sport more efficient and pleasant by virtue of its layout.

Exeter’s new courts are made by the highly regarded German squash court manufacturer, ASB. The uniform density of their sand-filled walls makes for even playing surfaces. All have sprung wood floors and glass back walls for visibility and light. Sensitive tins light up and beep when hit, leaving less room for ungracious court behavior. Four exhibition courts have retractable bleachers behind them for match viewing. When the bleachers are collapsed, the space behind the courts expands to an exercise area large enough for a team to gather for stretching and off-court training.

Suspended above the center of the court area is a mezzanine level that overlooks the courts and provides access to the bleachers from above. This also connects to the existing third floor viewing level for the basketball courts and swimming pool, in essence creating an extensive spectator concourse. Two 65-foot skylights above the mezzanine let in natural light; opaque glass guards against any distracting glare. Exonians inured to the relentless gray of Love Gym’s cast-in-place concrete may be shocked to see color on the walls. Mellow shades of green and buff, architectural detail and interesting light fixtures make for a handsome space—useful in the unlikely event that a spectator needs a distraction from what is happening on the courts.

This phase of construction, which has essentially demolished and rebuilt a core area of the Love Gym, has allowed Exeter to update that facility. An elevator near the new street-level entrance to the building provides handicapped access to every level of the gym. Included in this phase is a reconfigured and expanded training room, which has been enhanced to better accommodate the number of athletes who use it, and seven new visiting team rooms that will provide Exeter’s guests a much needed upgrade in facilities. Reconfigured men’s locker rooms and equipment and laundry areas make more efficient use of the available space; original lockers and fixtures have been reused wherever possible. According to Assistant Project Manager Jim Landry, the Academy was able to recycle much of the concrete, steel and wood debris from the original building through various area businesses as fill, scrap and energy pellets.

Thanks to the interest and generosity of a group of alumni, alumnae and parents, Exeter is well on its way to celebrating a new squash facility that will serve the school well and attract new players and spectators to the sport.

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