Occupying more than six city blocks in Upper Manhattan, Columbia University is considered a prestigious university throughout the world. Home of the Lions, Columbia is an original member of the Ivy League and fields 31 NCAA Division I teams along with 40+ club and intramural sports. The Baker Athletics Complex is the main athletics facility for the Lions’ outdoor sports and features five different fields and associated stadiums, a tennis center, boathouses, a field house, and the brand new Campbell Sports Center.
The mesh windscreens throughout the Baker Athletics Complex were worn, faded, and in need of replacement. Looking to replace these windscreens, the Lions connected tasked AMI Graphics with the job of freshening up the old windscreen. Mesh windscreens allow athletic programs and facilities to add school branding and colors to blank and boring chainlink fences, while also providing privacy and a certain level of wind protection to the fields and courts behind the windscreens.
Wanting to use the new windscreens to recognize past program accomplishments in addition to showing off school branding, the design of the windscreen included sections of text listing championship seasons in addition to the school logos and facility names. AMI Graphics conducted a site visit to measure the fences where the windscreens would go while also making note of any possible obstructions. AMI’s talented creative design department manipulated the provided artwork in conjunction with the taken measurements to ensure that no text or logos would be blocked by any of the obstructions and that the spectators’ view of the important information was not impeded.
Due to the size of the windscreen panels, an additional line of grommets was added down the center of the windscreens, in addition to the standard reinforced hems with high wind grommets, to help prevent the mesh banners from pillowing in the high winds created by the surrounding city blocks.
On the areas of the complex where the fences lined sidewalks outside of the facility or entrance areas, Columbia used mesh windscreens on both the inside and the outside of the fence to continue school branding to those not within the complex. It also added an extra layer of privacy to the athletic fields.
The new windscreens were installed, and the result is a stunning display of school spirit and pride for the Columbia Lions.
“I can’t say enough about the work AMI [Graphics] has done for us in the short time we have been doing business with them. Their turnaround time with big projects is awesome, and the quality of the product has made a significant difference in the look of our athletic facility. [Account Manager] Stacey MacKinnon’s high level of customer service has made doing business with AMI very easy. I am looking forward to years of working with them on more projects.” – Steven Figueroa, Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Events, Columbia University in the City of New York
