Under Armour Global Headquarters

Overview

When Under Armour (UA) started planning a new building on their Baltimore, Maryland, campus, they wanted it to reflect their commitment to optimizing performance and acting sustainably. We helped architect Gensler to embody these values in the design of Teammate Building 2 (TMB2), UA’s new global headquarters. The 280,000-square-foot office building is being constructed almost entirely of mass timber – an eco-conscious choice that cuts the structure’s embodied carbon (EC) and imparts an appealing aesthetic to its interior spaces.

During the first phase of design, we collaborated with Gensler to develop structural schemes for mass timber, concrete and steel to uncover the pros and cons of each. We calculated quantity estimates for all three and used Beacon – the EC-tracking Revit plug-in we developed – to assess the EC impacts of all three materials. These details helped UA evaluate the options and make a fully informed decision to choose timber.

When Austrian mass-timber supplier binderholz was selected, we engaged with their team on the design of structural components. Switching from imperial to metric measurements was just one part of it. Collaborating closely, we evolved our design to accommodate their proprietary connections and adjust member sizes to match their fabrication practices.

Highlights

• The five-story building features architecturally exposed timber and concealed timber connections.
• The use of mass timber made it possible to use a shallow foundation system, yielding significant construction savings on the project.
• A 30-foot square bay module uses cross-laminated timber decks along with glulam beams and columns.
• Our structural design also supports a rainwater capture system, a green roof and a canopy carrying photovoltaic panels to help the new headquarters achieve net-zero-energy operations.