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
![Bjarke Ingels’ design for the Oakland A’s new Las Vegas ballpark. Rendering by Negativ](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bjarke%20Ingels%E2%80%99%20Oakland%20A%E2%80%99s%20new%20Las%20Vegas%20ballpark%20_Image-by-negativ%202_1.jpg)
![Bjarke Ingels’ design for the Oakland A’s new Las Vegas ballpark. Rendering by Negativ](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bjarke%20Ingels%E2%80%99%20Oakland%20A%E2%80%99s%20new%20Las%20Vegas%20ballpark%203.jpg)
![Bjarke Ingels’ design for the Oakland A’s new Las Vegas ballpark. Rendering by Negativ](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bjarke%20Ingels%E2%80%99%20Oakland%20A%E2%80%99s%20new%20Las%20Vegas%20ballpark%20.jpg)
![Bjarke Ingels’ design for the Oakland A’s new Las Vegas ballpark. Rendering by Negativ](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Bjarke%20Ingels%E2%80%99%20Oakland%20A%E2%80%99s%20new%20Las%20Vegas%20ballpark%20_Image-by-negativ%202.jpg)
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
| Sep 24, 2012
$3.8-million athletic field and track opens in Glen Head, N.Y.
The complex also includes a new, one-story, multi-purpose building that serves as the main entry port to the athletic facilities.
| Sep 7, 2012
Duffy joins Thornton Tomasetti
At Hardesty & Hanover, Duffy partnered with Thornton Tomasetti on a number of projects.
| Aug 24, 2012
Meis heads to Woods Bagot Sport
Staples Center, Paul Brown Stadium architect to leverage global studio to serve clients worldwide.
| Aug 8, 2012
Giants 300 Sports Facilities Report
BD+C's Giants 300 Top 25 AEC Firms in the Sports Facilities sector.
| Jun 14, 2012
Minnesota Vikings stadium plan gets legislative go-ahead
Legislation that approved the construction of a new billion dollar stadium for the Minnesota Vikings passed the Minnesota legislature.
| Jun 8, 2012
Chestnut Hill College dedicates Jack and Rosemary Murphy Gulati complex
Casaccio Yu Architects designed the 11,300-sf fitness and social complex.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 30, 2012
Hill International to manage construction of Al Risafa Stadium in Iraq
The three-year contract has an estimated value to Hill of approximately $3.3 million.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.