VMDO Architects

After success stemming from the Cavalier baseball team’s first-ever berth in the College World Series and coach Brian O’Connor’s first of many National Coach of the Year awards, the UVA baseball program asked VMDO to design a second phase of renovation and expansion of their existing baseball stadium at Davenport Field. The goal of the project was to create “one of the best places to watch and play baseball in the ACC.”

This phase of work included a Virginia Baseball Hall of Fame and adjacent conference room. Special attention was spent on these areas to create a dynamic space that, in showcasing the history of the program, inspired current and future players to achieve similar levels of hard work and success.

The Hall of Fame features custom-built steel-framed glass walls containing large scale murals of the stadium and team. At a more interactive level, the mural walls hold a continuous band of digital and graphic media depicting the most recent timeline of program highlights and relevant data about the program’s history for recruits and players to explore. The opposite wall holds a mixed media exhibit of display cases. Glass cases hold the program’s most prestigious championship trophies and player artifacts along with recognition of those players who have made it to the MLB. This room physically distills the success of the program over time and inspires incoming players to consider what their future might hold at UVA as well.

The adjacent conference room is filled with murals depicting the Cavalier’s first appearance at the College World Series in 2009 and at regional championships. Emphasizing individual and team excellence, the artwork serves as a backdrop for spaces often used for press conferences, recruitment activities, and team meetings – and is intended to inspire players and recruits to strive for future levels of success.