Interior of W38th Residence by RUFproject
Coverage on the opening of the new and innovative NIKELAB CHI by Nike, Sneakernews, Highsnobiety, Timeout, Hypebeast, Kicksonfire, Social Life Chicago, Haute Tempered and Sneakers Addict
NIKELAB CHI / Nike
Architecture: Best Commercial Building > 1,000 Square Metres
Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto
Location: Johannesburg
Firm: RUFproject, Vancouver
Team: Sean Pearson and Andy Walker with Luyanda Mpahlwa
It’s enough of a challenge to design for social change; rarer still to accomplish such a thing with outstanding results. Yet in the moments of alignment between talent, determination and a client willing to take on the odds, the results make defeat seem like a distant memory. The Nike Football Training Centre in Soweto – commissioned by Nike and designed by RUFproject – is one such example, having been conceptualized and built within just eight months. While that alone is impressive, the fast-track agenda did not undermine the project’s integrity.
Read the full story in the print edition of our July/August 2012 issue