Following our previous visit to San Francisco-based Mork-Ulnes Architects, we are using the first 2023 edition of our Meet Your Next Employer series to explore the work of global sports and entertainment venue specialists Populous.
Founded in 1983, the firm operates 23 global offices including eight in the United States. Among the 3000+ projects in the firm’s portfolio include commissions for sports franchises such as MLB, the NBA, and the NFL, as well as major sporting events such as the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The firm’s background and culture were further explored back in late 2018 when we sat down with Missy Ragsdale, Director of Human Resources at Populous's Kansas City office as part of our How To Get A Job At ___ series. “Three words we regularly hear staff use to describe Populous are adaptive, energetic, and entrepreneurial,” Ragsdale told us.
“The nature of our projects – their complexity, scope, and size – regularly provides opportunities for project teams to come together from multiple offices,” Ragsdale continued. “This type of collaboration often leads to interoffice social events, friendly competitions, sharing of lessons learned, and design innovations. Bringing together diverse perspectives yields the best ideas.”
Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for several positions across New York City, Kansas City, and Dallas. For candidates interested in applying for a position, or those interested in learning more about the firm’s work, we have rounded up five sports and entertainment projects by Populous that reflect the studio's dedication to “creating environments that draw people and communities together for unforgettable experiences.”
Designed as a multi-purpose entertainment venue, the T-Mobile arena seeks to reflect the “flash and glamour” of the Las Vegas Strip while also taking “organic design cues from the mountains and desert canyon” surrounding the city. The scheme’s south and west facades are clad in a solid skin to protect against the desert sun, while the north facade is clad in expansive glass with an LED overlay.
Inside, the arena’s elliptical form creates a bowl arrangement designed to allow maximum seating capacity for concerts. The lower level of the interior is occupied by a concourse inspired by the strata of the surrounding mountains, with a color scheme of oranges, blues, and purples inspired by the city’s dusk sky.
Named the “Best Venue of 2022” at the World Football Summit Awards, the TQL Stadium was designed by Populous to host the FC Cincinnati soccer team. Outside, the scheme is clad with 500 aluminum fins that form a twisting motion intended to symbolize the physical rigor of professional sport. Meanwhile, the stadium’s monumental entrance is inspired by the Spanish Steps in Rome, leading to a flexible public plaza area capable of accommodating events and celebrations.
Inside, the 26,000-capacity stadium features a continuous seating bowl arrangement, sheltered by a 300,000-square-foot canopy. Notable elements on the upper levels include an “elevated fan experience” created by a series of amenities-laden luxury suites and the widest video board in a North American soccer stadium.
The only new permanent venue constructed for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, the Populous-designed National Speed Skating Oval seeks to convey the speed and dynamism associated with speed skating. Nicknamed the “Ice Ribbon,” the 12,000-capacity venue features 22 rotating light bands on its facade, representing the “high-speed movement of the skaters” inside.
“The ribbons of the design make reference to the floating silk ribbons of the artwork my family had dedicated their time to — which was the study and preservation of the Dunhuang Grottoes, a significant collection of Buddhist art from the Tang dynasty,” explained Populous China Principal Tiric Chang after the scheme was completed in 2021. With the Winter Olympics now over, the arena will serve as the long-term home for China’s efforts to get 300 million people involved in winter sports by 2025.
2022 saw Populous unveil the first in a series of upgrades to take place at the Rogers Centre over the coming three years. When completed, the alterations to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team’s headquarters will turn the 33-year-old venue into an “enhanced ballpark experience for fans.”
The $234 million renovation will see the creation of new social areas across three levels, the replacement of aging seats, a reworking of the outfield and bullpens, and the creation of new family and training areas for the team. Beyond the publicized renovations, future plans for the venue include an upgrade to the clubhouses and lower-level seating, and longer-term structural upgrades.
Unveiled in late 2021, and nicknamed “The Cathedral,” Populous’ new Milan stadium will serve as a joint-home venue for rival soccer teams Inter Milan and AC Milan. The stadium will serve as the centerpiece of a pedestrian-friendly recreational district that will include over 1 million square feet of green space and an underground parking facility.
Populous’ design strategy revolved around an expression of the two clubs’ history and traditions, while also taking cues from the city’s most iconic architecture, including the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. “Our design envisages the stadium as the most sustainable in Europe and the focal point of a new sports and entertainment district for Milano that will be alive throughout the year,” Populus said at the time of the scheme’s unveiling.
Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.
No Comments
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.