STATE FARM STADIUM
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Year: 1997-2006
In
an era when theme parks and the media typically package their activities and
productions to create a controlled, universal experience, sport has surged in
value as a source of the unexpected and unpredictable. The public desire for
uncertainty is evident in the phenomenal success of “reality” television
programs, which essentially stage confrontations and conflicts that amount of a
sport with an unpredictable outcome. As the primary locus of the unexpected,
the sports stadium has emerged as the new civic icon and attained a symbolic
resonance that was historically once held in America only by town halls,
libraries and museums.
State Farm Stadium, formerly known as University of Phoenix Stadium, is a 68,000-seat National Football League stadium for the Arizona Cardinals, which expands to accommodate 73,000 spectators for the Super Bowl and other extravaganzas. By integrating the stadium with the facilities required for a convention center, this multipurpose venue is equally effective for hosting exhibitions and sporting events. In addition to providing innovative suites and concourse accommodations, the stadium features a retractable roof and a movable field of natural grass that is rolled into the arena on game days.
The stadium is clad in alternating sections of metal panels and recessed vertical glass bands that allow views out from the circulation concourse. The shiny, metallic panels will reflect shifting desert light patterns to mimic the ever-changing colors of the Arizona sky, as well as throw off the desert heat. The translucent fabric roof admits daylight and creates the feeling of being outdoors, yet protects spectators and players from the direct heat of the sun.
State Farm Stadium, formerly known as University of Phoenix Stadium, is a 68,000-seat National Football League stadium for the Arizona Cardinals, which expands to accommodate 73,000 spectators for the Super Bowl and other extravaganzas. By integrating the stadium with the facilities required for a convention center, this multipurpose venue is equally effective for hosting exhibitions and sporting events. In addition to providing innovative suites and concourse accommodations, the stadium features a retractable roof and a movable field of natural grass that is rolled into the arena on game days.
The stadium is clad in alternating sections of metal panels and recessed vertical glass bands that allow views out from the circulation concourse. The shiny, metallic panels will reflect shifting desert light patterns to mimic the ever-changing colors of the Arizona sky, as well as throw off the desert heat. The translucent fabric roof admits daylight and creates the feeling of being outdoors, yet protects spectators and players from the direct heat of the sun.
Concept
Drawings
Model photos
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