21st Century Stadium Design

Abstract

The design of stadiums in the near future will focus on incorporating programming to make stadiums more functional for the urban communities they serve. Stadium scale, both in its physical size and radius of influence, makes the stadium an important urban entity that has an effect beyond the delineated space in which it is constructed. Stadiums are a public structure because their funding is drawn from public sources, notably taxes and land; thus a stadium’s true “client” is the general public. Integrating programming that supports multiple functions, such as malls, restaurants and even commercial space, benefits the general population, and not just those that use the stadium as an entertainment venue. This thesis explores and evaluates architectural issues, extending stadium use beyond sporting events, resulting in a site fully integrated in the city, providing a higher return on investment for the citizens.