Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in collaboration with HNTB, the new ballpark for the Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball team will be located on the Las Vegas Strip and offer panoramic views of the city skyline. The 33,000-capacity covered, climate-controlled stadium will sit on nine acres on Las Vegas Boulevard.
The A’s will relocate from Oakland, Calif., to Las Vegas in 2028. The new ballpark’s expected opening date will be in spring of that year.
BIG’s design pays homage to the sport: Five overlapping shells on the ballpark’s roof will resemble baseball pennants. The pennant-shaped arches are designed for passive shading and will maximize natural light; they will block direct sunlight glare while allowing indirect natural light through north-facing clerestory windows. In addition, the structure’s exterior metal cladding will reflect the daylight and the city’s night lights.
“The resultant architecture is like a spherical armadillo,” Bjarke Ingels, BIG’s Founder and Creative Director, said in a statement.
An elevated outdoor plaza connects with the bridges over Las Vegas and Tropicana Boulevards. The plaza directs fans to the ballpark’s main concourse and its large glass atrium. In addition to improving wayfinding and circulation, this entrance allows views of the entire field and seating bowl upon entry. Inside, open atria will serve as multipurpose exhibition spaces showcasing local and global artists.
How will the A’s open-air ballpark keep fans cool in the Las Vegas heat?
Inspired by historic ballparks such as Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, the Athletics ballpark will boast an intimate, tiered design that brings fans closer to the action than traditional ballparks and provides every seat with clear sight lines. An air-conditioning system distributes at the seats instead of from above, making cooling more efficient.
The current design features an 18,000-square-foot jumbotron, which would make it the MLB’s largest screen, as well as the world’s largest cable glass wall, according to BIG’s statement.
The Athletics Ballpark will be able to double as a venue for concerts, conferences, and other events. Potential development around the ballpark could include an onsite hotel and casino.
“Las Vegas is where the imagination runs free, characterized by bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiences. The A’s new ballpark will be filled with unique settings for the social interplay between, sport, spectacle and entertainment,” said Lanson Nichols, Principal-in-Charge, HNTB, in a statement.
On the Building Team:
Owner: Athletics
Design architect: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
Architect of record: HNTB
MEP engineer: Henderson Engineers
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
General contractor: Joint venture between Mortenson and McCarthy
Check out more recent projects from Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG):
- Bjarke Ingels's curved residential high-rise will anchor a massive urban regeneration project in Greece
- Bjarke Ingels Group and Skanska to deliver 1550 on the Green, one of the most sustainable buildings in Texas
Related Stories
| 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.
| Dec 4, 2013
First look: Dubai's winning bid for World Expo 2020 [slideshow]
Dubai has been chosen as the site of the 2020 World Expo. HOK led the design team that developed the master plan for the Expo, which is expected to draw more than 25 million visitors from October 2020 through April 2021.
| Dec 3, 2013
Historic Daytona International Speedway undergoing $400 million facelift
The Daytona International Speedway is zooming ahead on the largest renovation in the Florida venue’s 54-year history. Improvements include five redesigned guest entrances, an extended grandstand with 101,000 new seats, and more than 60 new trackside suites for corporate entertaining.
