Adidas and Playlab Transform a New Mexico Gypsum Mine into a Temporary Running Track
Santa Fe – July 29, 2025
In an unexpected fusion of sport, nature, and industry, Adidas has partnered with Los Angeles–based design studio Playlab to create a temporary running track inside an active gypsum mine in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Titled Adidas EQT Track, the project reimagines a stark industrial landscape as a space for movement, reflection, and experimentation.
A Design Born from the Earth
The track stretches approximately 650 feet across the mine’s white, dusty terrain, set at an altitude of 9,000 feet above sea level. The location wasn’t chosen for its typical running conditions, but rather for its striking natural materials and dramatic scenery.
While the form of the track is rooted in the functional needs of runners, its curved layout and low gypsum walls—standing about 3 feet 6 inches tall—were shaped in direct response to the site’s rugged topography and raw material constraints.
Gypsum: From Extraction to Architecture
All elements of the installation—from the track surface to the sculpted seating and central fire pit—were constructed using gypsum sourced directly from the mine. The inner lane, measuring seven feet wide, serves not only as a running surface but also as a communal gathering space.
To protect the environment, the designers used a water-based dye to color the track. The pigment evaporates after application, leaving no permanent impact on the site.
Detail of the gypsum walls that frame the track, highlighting the dialogue between material and landscape.
Designed to Disappear
Once the installation concludes, all materials will be returned to the mine and recycled into drywall for use in construction projects across New Mexico. The track is not just temporary by design—it is fully integrated into the material lifecycle of the site.
A Journey, Not Just a Project
“This had to happen somewhere far from distraction—somewhere that required effort to reach,” said Playlab co-founder Archie Lee Coates in an interview with Runlifestyle.
“The spirit of the project began as a kind of pilgrimage,” he continued. “We were inspired by journeys like the Camino de Santiago and the isolation found in Hannsjörg Voth’s Golden Spiral. That mix of distance and meaning was essential.”
The inner ring serves as both track and gathering space, blending movement with moments of connection.
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