Whoops, says Ourousoff: "Still, Cowboys Stadium suffers from its own form of nostalgia: its enormous retractable roof, acres of parking and cavernous interiors are straight out of Eisenhower’s America, with its embrace of car culture and a grandiose, bigger-is-better mentality. The result is a somewhat crude reworking of old ideas, one that looks especially unoriginal when compared with the sophisticated and often dazzling stadiums that have been built in Europe and the Far East over the last few years. Worse for fans, its lounges and concourses are so sprawling that I suspect more than a few spectators will get lost and miss the second-half kickoff."
Whoops, says Ourousoff: "Still, Cowboys Stadium suffers from its own form of nostalgia: its enormous retractable roof, acres of parking and cavernous interiors are straight out of Eisenhower’s America, with its embrace of car culture and a grandiose, bigger-is-better mentality. The result is a somewhat crude reworking of old ideas, one that looks especially unoriginal when compared with the sophisticated and often dazzling stadiums that have been built in Europe and the Far East over the last few years. Worse for fans, its lounges and concourses are so sprawling that I suspect more than a few spectators will get lost and miss the second-half kickoff."
Via the NYT.
1 Comment
Took the tour of Cowboys Stadium in July, and was at Beijing's Olympic Stadium last year. Seems that these two venues are as opposite in design approach as you can get. One is about design purity and elegance of form, whereas the other is about utilitarian form and quality of user experience.
Ourousoff's criticisms seem to generally be that bigger can't be better, and come off as if it's politically incorrect to like something this grand. Nothing is mentioned of the amazing interior spaces I got a chance to see such as the end zone mingling areas, or the club areas within the two main sides of the stadium which exceed the caliber of theater amenities.
As a football fan, I find the new Cowboys Stadium to be a fresh approach towards experiencing the game and commend the effort to come up with something new indoors. This stadium recognizes that fans don't just go to sit for a few hours to watch a game and then go home. American football is a social event which requires space to hang out whether it's with friends or with business associates. I found these spaces intimate and welcoming in contrast to the typical chaotic raceway full of beer vendors in most stadiums. Some pretty revolutionary use of space if you ask me.
Contrast this with the Beijing Olympic Stadium, where it's all about design integrity at every scale down to the wayfinding. It is visually stunning, with many layers of details working together, especially with the interplay of lighting and translucent materials. However, this is a sit and watch venue and nothing more. Today, it sits empty. Too big and expensive to be used for anything except as a tourist attraction where people pay about seven bucks a head to wander around and get pictures of themselves on a replica medal podium.
I think as architects we need to think a bit more about how the buildings we design will be used and enjoyed instead of what makes for the best architectural porn. Has Ourousoff even been to a football game before?
As a final note, consider that the Olympic Stadium was made possible as a showpiece for a totalitarian state, whereas Cowboys Stadium is something that is a result of negotiations between private business and democratically elected civic governments. Seeds for a good discussion.
Would also like to check out: Allianz Arena, Gillette Stadium/Patriot Place and the hideous Lucas Oil Stadium. Anyone been to any of these?
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.