ALL THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF A LAS VEGAS BALLPARK
12 Apr 2024
The famed Las Vegas Strip will soon be the home of a new ballpark for the Oakland A’s by architecture firms Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and HNTB.
Taking inspiration from Las Vegas‘s vibrant atmosphere, the ballpark will be an open-air space with panoramic views of the desert city’s skyline. This 33,000-seat covered stadium will occupy a nine-acre plot on Las Vegas Boulevard between Tropicana and Reno Avenues. Once complete, the project will be the future home of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics — schedule to open in 2028.
A DOME ROOF FOR AMBIENT LIGHT AND FRAMED VIEWS
The new ballpark, designed with HNTB, will be instantly recognisable by its sculptural roof. Five overlapping shells, designed to resemble baseball pennants, will provide shade for players while allowing indirect natural light to filter through clerestory windows oriented towards the north.
The domed structure will also host the world’s largest cable net glass wall, framing uninterrupted views of Las Vegas. The building’s exterior will be wrapped in metallic panels that will shimmer in the sunlight and reflect the city’s dazzling lights at night.
BIG’s revolutionary design represents a captivating ballpark concept, seamlessly blending innovation and technology with an enhanced fan experience,” claims John Fisher, Managing Partner & Owner of Athletics.
CLIMATE CONTROLLED SPACE
Fans will enter the ballpark through an elevated outdoor plaza, which connect with bridges spanning Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. This entrance will lead directly to the main concourse, where a large glass atrium will open toward the cityscape.
This design ensures optimal navigation and will allow arriving fans to immediately take in the entire field and seating arrangement. Secondary entrances on the north and south sides will feature ‘bouncing’ arches, promoting accessibility and a connection to the outdoors. Once inside, visitors will be greeted by bright and airy atria that will double as multipurpose exhibition spaces showcasing local and international art.
Inspired by historic ballparks like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, the tiered seating design with split upper and lower bowls brings spectators closer to the action than in traditional stadiums. Every seat is designed to offer unobstructed sight lines. An innovative air-conditioning system ensures efficient and eco-friendly cooling by distributing cool air directly to the seats rather than from the ceiling.
“Our design for the new Vegas home for the A’s is conceived in response to the unique culture and climate of the city. The resultant architecture is like a spherical armadillo — shaped by the local climate — while opening and inviting the life of The Strip to enter and explore. In the city of spectacle, the A’s ‘armadillo’ is designed for passive shading and natural light — the architectural response to the Nevada climate generating a new kind of vernacular icon in Vegas,” says Bjarke Ingles.
Images © Negativ via Designboom