Foundation work has begun on the $250 million, 26,500-seat West End Stadium in Cincinnati, which when it opens in 2021 will be home to FC Cincinnati, the city’s Major League Soccer franchise.
According to the Cincinnati Inquirer, FC Cincinnati is building its stadium close to downtown in a poor, historically black neighborhood that’s going through a gentrification phase.
Turner Construction in partnership with a local firm Jostin Construction is building the horseshoe-shape stadium. MEIS Architects did the original design of the stadium, and Populous was brought in to make refinements and changes that included expanding the stadium’s canopy to cover every seat.
In response to community objections, Populous has toned down the bright orange lighting initially proposed for the stadium’s roof and exterior. Instead, the building’s wave-like façade now has 513 vertical fins, individually lighted with LEDs to create special effects. FC Cincinnati claims that West End will be the only stadium in the world with this specific feature.
LED lights attached to the tip of 513 fins will light up the facade of West End Stadium, and create opportunities for visual effects. Image: Populous
Working with Populous, Buro Happold, the project’s structural engineer, incorporated extensive public plaza space and a grand entry with a staircase rising 30 feet from the Central Parkway. The wrap-around seating bowl will have a dedicated 3,100-seat safe-standing zone and steeply pitched upper mezzanine. Fifty-nine suite boxes will be located above the main seating area, allowing for continuous fan seating and unobstructed sightlines. The closest seat in the stadium will be only 15 ft from the 110-yard-long field.
“The plans for West End Stadium demonstrate how structural design is intrinsically tied to a core goal of any entertainment project—fostering an atmosphere of excitement,” says Phil Skellorn, one of BuroHappold’s sports and entertainment practice leaders.
The West End Stadium project dates back to the team’s bid for an MLS expansion franchise in 2016; Cincinnati was on a short list of three expansion cities, and was chosen in early 2018. As part of a land swap with the Cincinnati Public Schools, West End Stadium is located on the site where Taft High School’s football stadium once stood.
FC Cincinnati will play at Nippert Stadium, a football venue on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, until its new facility opens. The team continues to seek a sponsor for the new stadium’s naming rights.
Related Stories
| Jan 28, 2014
Big Ten Conference opens swanky HQ and museum [slideshow]
The new mixed-use headquarters includes a museum, broadcast studios, conference facilities, office spaces, and, oh yeah, a Brazilian steakhouse.
| Jan 27, 2014
A climber's dream: Rock climbing hall planned near Iran's highest peak
Forget the rock climbing wall. A developer in Iran is building a rock climbing hall. That's right, an entire building dedicated to the sport, with more than 48,000 sf of program space.
| Jan 13, 2014
Custom exterior fabricator A. Zahner unveils free façade design software for architects
The web-based tool uses the company's factory floor like "a massive rapid prototype machine,” allowing designers to manipulate designs on the fly based on cost and other factors, according to CEO/President Bill Zahner.
| Jan 11, 2014
Getting to net-zero energy with brick masonry construction [AIA course]
When targeting net-zero energy performance, AEC professionals are advised to tackle energy demand first. This AIA course covers brick masonry's role in reducing energy consumption in buildings.
| Jan 7, 2014
Concrete solutions: 9 innovations for a construction essential
BD+C editors offer a roundup of new products and case studies that represent the latest breakthroughs in concrete technology.
Smart Buildings | Jan 7, 2014
9 mega redevelopments poised to transform the urban landscape
Slowed by the recession—and often by protracted negotiations—some big redevelopment plans are now moving ahead. Here’s a sampling of nine major mixed-use projects throughout the country.
| Dec 27, 2013
$1 billion 'city within a city' development approved by Coachella, Calif., city council
The mega development includes 7,800 homes, a retail center, office space, and nearly 350 acres of open space.
| Dec 13, 2013
Safe and sound: 10 solutions for fire and life safety
From a dual fire-CO detector to an aspiration-sensing fire alarm, BD+C editors present a roundup of new fire and life safety products and technologies.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 9, 2013
Tips for designing higher education's newest building type: the learning commons
In this era of scaled-down budgets, maximized efficiencies, new learning methods and social media’s domination of face time, college and university campuses are gravitating toward a new space type: the learning commons.
