University of Wisconsin-Madison's LaBahn Arena

The LaBahn Arena is located in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s (UW) downtown campus has received an ACEC Engineering Excellence Award. The Wisconsin-based, first-class project team of GRAEF, Findorff, Spancrete, and KahlerSlater, worked together with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to design an exciting addition to UW’s athletic facilities. Notably, LaBahn Arena was the premiere use of BubbleDeck® technology in the United States. BubbleDeck® is a unique integration system of linking air, steel, and concrete in a two-way structural slab. The system is especially unique in the way it incorporates bubbles made of recycled plastic, reducing the need for concrete. The result radically improves building design and performance while reducing overall construction cost.

Completed in October 2013, the arena is a 120,000 square foot, four-level facility adjacent to the UW-Madison Kohl Center Arena. Named after lead donors, Charles and Mary Ann LaBahn, the arena houses a 90 by 200 foot ice sheet for men’s and women’s hockey practice and women’s hockey games, as well as team locker rooms for both home and visiting teams. It also features office suites and support spaces for women’s hockey and locker and team room functions for the men’s and women’s swimming programs. The arena seats approximately 2400 spectators.