ICCU Arena

As the country’s first engineered wood venue, the new Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) Arena showcases Idaho as a place where students, researchers, industry and community come together to build sustainable futures.

From the brainstorming of its cutting-edge design to the first Vandal basketball game of the 2021 – 2022 season, the ICCU Arena continues to be not just a building, but a living laboratory modeling modern technology and aesthetic beauty.

The 62,000-foot arena is made of mass timber from the University’s Experimental Forest (UIEF) and sustainably managed forests across Idaho and surrounding areas. Mass timber is produced by mechanically fastening smaller wood components to form larger elements such as the arena’s glulam beams and sloping roofs. Shaped to resemble the Palouse’s rolling hills, the Arena is an architectural feat that pushes the bounds of contemporary engineering.

Sourced from well-managed forests that mitigate climate change and preserve biological habitat, soil and water, the Arena’s wood is certified by Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards.

The arena is a real-life learning laboratory site where natural resources, engineering and architecture students continue to learn about forest products supply chains, sustainable nursery and forest management, carbon sequestration, life cycle analysis and building performance during extreme weather events.

And when the University of Idaho basketball teams first stepped onto the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena, it was clear that they were a part of something bigger. The arena is a hub for learning, innovation and civic activity that will last for decades to come.

“The arena is a source of Vandal Pride for the entire student body and our community, said Jon Newlee, women’s head basketball coach. “Now, we are lost in the glory of being in this beautiful place.”