Celebrating the final phase of renovation at State Farm Center, the University of Illinois partnered with Dimensional Innovations to design a space paying tribute to over a century of basketball history. The Mannie L. Jackson Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame is a place to inspire all fans and future athletes. A place that highlights the hundreds of athletes that define the legacy, energy, and stories of the Fighting Illini.
Tucked off the main entry, the 1,500 square foot U-shaped space tells its story through three lenses: THE GAME, THE TEAMS, and THE FANS.
In THE GAME exhibition area, exhibits focus on individual players, coaches, and winning moments, through displays of past and current uniforms, memorabilia, and a large interactive display for viewing player stats and clips. THE TEAMS exhibit, tells the story of four influential team’s history. Dedicated cases span the south wall, each with a large graphic print commemorating key players. The third zone celebrates THE FANS and history which made everything possible, which extends directly into the main concourse through an operable wall.
A large white wall wraps the central core, helping to open up the dark space while highlighting historic artifacts and joining the three zones together. Operable glass panels and removable resin casts allow the University to replace artifacts with new memorabilia.
Opposite the core, four large orange cases highlight four special teams seasons. Glass and aluminum cases feature printed text panels and glass shelves, fully customizable for future trophies.
With the new renovation, creating a high-impact space helped transform a mechanical room into one which translates the University’s intent to reach and recruit new basketball talent into their program while telling the stories that brought them here.