Friday, July 27, 2012

Higher Education - Olympic Thinking

Spillman Farmer Architects is a thought leader in higher education athletics facilities under the leadership of Dan Harrigan, a 1976 Olympic medalist in swimming.  With the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London upon us, we thought we’d share Dan’s medal with our readers.

"Dan Harrigan’s first international exposure came at the age of 10, when he competed in a U.S.-Canada dual meet. Ten years later, in 1975, he won the 200m backstroke at the Pan-American Games, and although he improved on his winning Pan-Am time by almost five seconds at the 1976 Olympics, he still finished third behind teammates John Naber and Peter Rocca. Harrigan's medal was remarkable as he had contracted hepatitis while at the 1975 Pan-Am Games and was out of training for several months. Harrigan was a dean’s list student in architecture at North Carolina State."

Dan continues to hold the NC State records in the 1650 and the 1000 (both from 1977) at the NC State Casey Aquatic Center and recently completed a small but thoughtful addition to the building to augment the entry sequence and extend the lifespan of the facility.  Dan is also working on other higher education athletics projects across the country and is currently pushing the limits of what these small facilities can add to campus life when thoughtfully considered.