Standard Courts with fin glass back walls

Standard Courts Walls

When it comes to squash court design, two primary types emerge: Standard Courts, typically characterized by three solid walls and a glass back wall, and Glass Courts, also known as Show Courts, constructed entirely from glass.

Prior to the 1990s, squash courts were generally constructed with plastered white surfaces. However, a notable shift in this design paradigm occurred in the mid-1990s when prefabricated wall panels specially designed for squash courts came in the market. These modern walls contain sand-filled cavities, ensuring uniform ball bounce across the court's play area.

Single vs Doubles - Dimensions

While Singles Squash is the dominant form of the sport worldwide, constituting approximately 95% of all play, Doubles Squash has carved out a significant niche, especially in countries with advanced squash proficiency. There are various types of Doubles Courts in existence, each with its own dimensions.

It's important to note that all dimensions mentioned refer to the final inside dimensions of the court, and consideration must also be given to the varying wall thicknesses.

Length: 9.750 mm

Width: 6.400 mm

Min clear height: 5.640 mm

Recommended height: 6.000 mm

Tin height: 480 mm

Singles

Globally, Singles Squash is the predominant form of the game, accounting for approximately 95% of all matches.

Length: 9.750 mm

Width: 7.620 mm

Min clear height: 5.640 mm

Recommended height: 6.000 mm

Tin height: 480 mm

International Doubles

In the 90s, the World Squash Federation (WSF) introduced Doubles Squash as a new discipline within the sport, specifying a court width of 7620mm. However, it quickly became apparent during initial competitions that this width was too restrictive, particularly for top-level players who demonstrated a broader range of play.

Dimensions competition Doubles squash court

Length: 9.750 mm

Width: 8.4200 mm

Min clear height: 5.640 mm

Recommended height: 6.000 mm

Tin height: 330 mm

Competition Doubles

To enhance the gameplay experience and enable more dynamic movement and strategy, the WSF introduced an additional width for International Competition Doubles Courts, extending the width to 8420mm. This additional space creates a more expansive and flexible play area, catering to the high-intensity, strategic gameplay of international doubles matches. Considering these developments, it is now recommended to adopt the larger width of 8420mm.

Dimensions Hardball Doubles squash court

Length: 13.716 mm (45’0”)

Width: 7.620 mm (25’0”)

Min clear height: 7.315 mm (24’0”)

Recommended height: 7.925 mm (26’0”)

Tin height: 430 mm

Hardball Doubles

Hardball Doubles, a distinct variant of the sport primarily played in North America, was named due to the use of a harder, bouncier ball compared to the softer ball typically used in international squash. While Hardball Singles Squash has largely disappeared over the past few decades due to the global standardization of squash around the softer ball Hardball Doubles continues to thrive, especially in the United States and Canada.

Squash Wall Thickness Variances

WSF approves various types of walls for standard squash courts, each with its own specific construction thickness. This is a crucial architects need to consider, as the thickness of the walls can affect the finished size of the court.

Prefabricated squash walls for standard courts mainly fall into two categories. While both kinds offer sameplaying dynamics, their technical intricacies vary. It's crucial to decide on the wall type early in the planning stage, given its substantial influence on the overall design. It's not uncommon to see a blend of both wall types within a single court.

Free-standing walls

These are standalone structures, independent from the main building.

Construction thickness: 100 mm

Building-attached walls

These are integrated and anchored to the building's structure.

Construction thickness: 40 mm

Singles and Doubles on the same court

The challenge of catering to both singles and doubles play on the same court is only possible by the installation of movable sidewalls in between two adjacent singles courts. This feature allows for the transformation of the space from two separate singles courts into one larger doubles court based on the specific requirements of the users.

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Movable wall

The inclusion of movable walls can also allow the squash courts to be repurposed for other sports or social activities, further enhancing its functional capacity.

Other activities on court

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Other sports

The inclusion of movable walls can also allow the squash courts to be repurposed for other sports or social activities, further enhancing its functional capacity.