They're finally tearing down the smaller of the two soccer stadiums in town later this year but it sort of scares me that I can't find information anywhere that they have in any way involved any architects for the design of the one to replace it yet (and if they have they're sure keeping a lid on it), so I've decided to turn to you boys and girls. What should a good sports stadium look like (not necessarily just soccer)?
look at anything by HOK Sport- they're pretty much the industry standard now. Sometimes they'll partner up with someone to create something a little different than the norm (and occasionally amusing) like the new Arizona Cardinals Stadium, but most of the work out there seems to be done by HOK Sport.
Anyone know of any great online resources for history/documentation (architecturally and not) or stadiums or sport in general? It's interesting that sport is an area which is incredibly influencial in culture, art, etc. but it's SO ubiquitous that any decent resources are hard to find...
Well, there's a list of stadiums etc here, but I haven't checked it out closely enough to tell you whether it's any good or not informations wise or how far back in time it streches.
i don't know of any online sources but i find it interesting that the piazza navona in rome was originally the stadium of domition (i should probably double-check that). still, that what was originally a stadium should survive 1500 (approx.) years later, at least in form, is impressive to me.
as for modern stadiums, i think there was a pretty interesting one in spain that was recently built for the 2004 eurocup. i might have been in a town called baraga but i'm not sure because i know nothing about spain and i have a limited interest in football because i was raised in america. apparently this baraga stadium was built into a mountain side and featured the occasional rock outcropping in its seating arrangement. it sounds very john lautner-esque to me and i'd love to hear more about it.
also, having lived in an apartment across the street from michigan stadium (one of the largest in america with a capacity of 100,000+) i have to admit that i found the ullevål stadium in oslo norway to be much more useful in that it was a true mixed use building. aside from the sunday night football matches, the complex included a ring of office and retail spaces that surrounded it (including two grocery stores, a pharmacy, post office, restaurants, etc.) such that it maintained a vibrant presence more than just once per week. i wish the sacrosanct michigan stadium had been that inventive in its value to the community.
as for america, despite the nostalgia of all the retro stadiums that have appeared in the last fifteen years, i feel that Skydome in toronto has probably been the most significant contribution to modern stadium architecture in north america. does anybody know off the top of their head who the architect of Skydome was? just curious.
skydome is now called the rogers centre, and was designed by rod robbie and michael allen. frankly, i am not a huge fan of american stadia, nor HOK, who have done more to ruin sport than i care to talk abooot. predock's petco park (san diego) is actually really nice. i wouldn't mind if yankee stadium were demolished and a public urinal erected in its place. why the interest in stadia anyway? i went to several in europe that were so well integrated into the city, that visitors could barely discern the raucous activities therein.
eric-
that looks like highbury! my lucky sis is catching the chelsea-arsenal game next sunday. cheeky fu*kin bastard!
ps-canadian sports blow. but curling, now that rocks.
here is a link to euro 2008 stadiums. klagenfurt and berne stadiums are my favorites. salzburg stadium is almost identical to berne in plan.
all midsize.
Yeah, I agree, but in general I found those new stadiums a bit, well, dull. A country like Switzerland, that atleast a few years ago was on the cutting edge of architectrure should have been able to produce more appealing stadiums.
I find the German stadiums for the WC2006 to be better efforts, but the German soccer league is ofcourse many times the league the Swiss one is so they have the economic means to care for and maintain much greater stadiums after the championship is over I suppose...
in my youth soccer was always referred to as "communist kickball" and was only played when the gym teacher was out sick. the class of fifty or so guys was split in to two teams and most of just stood around and talked about girls and music.
peace - i might agree with you... but only because i'm super offended at what HOK created to replace the beautiful Busch Stadium in St. Louis. How could they?!
The one in Sendai Japan by Hitoshi Abe is one of the best recent ones (built for the World Cup I believe, and sadly underused now due to its peripheral location...)
not much of an "architectural" resource on Stadiums but images and stats on almost every stadium and sports arena in America.
Camden Yards and all the other retro cookie cutter stadiums gave rise to the same cookie cutter Mc Mansions all over crappy suburb USA; it all started in '91.
"Baseball is a game of stats like no other, but Mets officials and Mayor Bloomberg yesterday reeled off numbers not usually associated with the sport - 270 waterless urinals, 65,000 square feet of porous pavers, 15,000 square feet of green roof."
Stadium designs
They're finally tearing down the smaller of the two soccer stadiums in town later this year but it sort of scares me that I can't find information anywhere that they have in any way involved any architects for the design of the one to replace it yet (and if they have they're sure keeping a lid on it), so I've decided to turn to you boys and girls. What should a good sports stadium look like (not necessarily just soccer)?
look at anything by HOK Sport- they're pretty much the industry standard now. Sometimes they'll partner up with someone to create something a little different than the norm (and occasionally amusing) like the new Arizona Cardinals Stadium, but most of the work out there seems to be done by HOK Sport.
maybe i'm just being sentimental
Anyone know of any great online resources for history/documentation (architecturally and not) or stadiums or sport in general? It's interesting that sport is an area which is incredibly influencial in culture, art, etc. but it's SO ubiquitous that any decent resources are hard to find...
Well, there's a list of stadiums etc here, but I haven't checked it out closely enough to tell you whether it's any good or not informations wise or how far back in time it streches.
i don't know of any online sources but i find it interesting that the piazza navona in rome was originally the stadium of domition (i should probably double-check that). still, that what was originally a stadium should survive 1500 (approx.) years later, at least in form, is impressive to me.
as for modern stadiums, i think there was a pretty interesting one in spain that was recently built for the 2004 eurocup. i might have been in a town called baraga but i'm not sure because i know nothing about spain and i have a limited interest in football because i was raised in america. apparently this baraga stadium was built into a mountain side and featured the occasional rock outcropping in its seating arrangement. it sounds very john lautner-esque to me and i'd love to hear more about it.
also, having lived in an apartment across the street from michigan stadium (one of the largest in america with a capacity of 100,000+) i have to admit that i found the ullevål stadium in oslo norway to be much more useful in that it was a true mixed use building. aside from the sunday night football matches, the complex included a ring of office and retail spaces that surrounded it (including two grocery stores, a pharmacy, post office, restaurants, etc.) such that it maintained a vibrant presence more than just once per week. i wish the sacrosanct michigan stadium had been that inventive in its value to the community.
as for america, despite the nostalgia of all the retro stadiums that have appeared in the last fifteen years, i feel that Skydome in toronto has probably been the most significant contribution to modern stadium architecture in north america. does anybody know off the top of their head who the architect of Skydome was? just curious.
skydome is now called the rogers centre, and was designed by rod robbie and michael allen. frankly, i am not a huge fan of american stadia, nor HOK, who have done more to ruin sport than i care to talk abooot. predock's petco park (san diego) is actually really nice. i wouldn't mind if yankee stadium were demolished and a public urinal erected in its place. why the interest in stadia anyway? i went to several in europe that were so well integrated into the city, that visitors could barely discern the raucous activities therein.
eric-
that looks like highbury! my lucky sis is catching the chelsea-arsenal game next sunday. cheeky fu*kin bastard!
ps-canadian sports blow. but curling, now that rocks.
Puddles: Yeah, you're thinking of Eduardo Souto de Moura's Braga Municipal Stadium in Braga, Portugal. One of my absolute favorites.
the alien has landed.
here is a link to euro 2008 stadiums. klagenfurt and berne stadiums are my favorites. salzburg stadium is almost identical to berne in plan.
all midsize.
Yeah, I agree, but in general I found those new stadiums a bit, well, dull. A country like Switzerland, that atleast a few years ago was on the cutting edge of architectrure should have been able to produce more appealing stadiums.
I find the German stadiums for the WC2006 to be better efforts, but the German soccer league is ofcourse many times the league the Swiss one is so they have the economic means to care for and maintain much greater stadiums after the championship is over I suppose...
in my youth soccer was always referred to as "communist kickball" and was only played when the gym teacher was out sick. the class of fifty or so guys was split in to two teams and most of just stood around and talked about girls and music.
well, it certainly shouldn't look like this
ok anyone who would suggest that HOK's cookie cutter crap is actually good clearly works for HOK and needs to get some objective perspective
peace - i might agree with you... but only because i'm super offended at what HOK created to replace the beautiful Busch Stadium in St. Louis. How could they?!
capacity 30,000. theatre and concerts great acoustics.
The one in Sendai Japan by Hitoshi Abe is one of the best recent ones (built for the World Cup I believe, and sadly underused now due to its peripheral location...)
not much of an "architectural" resource on Stadiums but images and stats on almost every stadium and sports arena in America.
Camden Yards and all the other retro cookie cutter stadiums gave rise to the same cookie cutter Mc Mansions all over crappy suburb USA; it all started in '91.
The MCG in Melboune is most impressive. I hear they are doing some work to make it even better.
The cricket on Boxing Day can't be beaten after a heavy Chirstmas day getting merry.
link
Yeah, The Melbourne Cricket Ground is certainly one of the few reasons in this world to go see a cricket game.
Met's Going Green at New Home
"Baseball is a game of stats like no other, but Mets officials and Mayor Bloomberg yesterday reeled off numbers not usually associated with the sport - 270 waterless urinals, 65,000 square feet of porous pavers, 15,000 square feet of green roof."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03142008/news/regionalnews/mets_going_green_at_new_home_101924.htm
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