STADIAWORLD | SPORTS VENUES 2019/20

www.stadiaworld.com SPORTS VENUES 2019/20   |   81 CONSTRUCTION REPORT the chase for additional revenues, it is of- ten overlooked that these spaces are some of the most expensive to build in the entire building. Even the notion that a club might sell significantly more tickets to a shiny new stadium can be misleading as those last 10,000 seats are the most expensive to build while having the lowest return given their distance to the pitch. So, what is a smaller, more fiscally challenged, club to do? Usually, our first advice is to start with the basics. Each of the world’s great stadiums, whether large or small, can claim a com- mon trait: a heart-pounding atmosphere. In most sports that means placing the seats as steep and close as possible to the pitch. While lounges, suite levels, and clubs are all important revenue generating elements, they tend to break up the continuity of the seating bowl. Our view is to add these ele- ments very carefully, and design in flexibil- ity to avoid initial over-building which can affect pricing far into the future. To use an automotive analogy, we tend to start with the most base-model possible, en- suring we have the critical basics and then we carefully add the options. Too often, cli- ents come to us believing they need the larg- est, fully loaded Lamborghini Sport Utility Vehicle when in reality a smaller sexy cross- over can generate just as much revenue at a far more financially sustainable investment. Strive for authenticity... In addition to starting and sticking to the basics, we look for ways to build true au- thenticity into the experience of our build- ings. So many of the new “Uber stadiums” are spectacular but a bit “soulless” and suf- fer from much of the sameness that killed the modern shopping mall. As soon as one has everything in a stadium you have noth- ing that is unique or truly special. These buildings are the homes of clubs who often have 100 years of history. Surely that home should be evocative of that history. In the design of Stadio della Roma, we had the challenge of not only the club’s history but also the 2,000-year-old architectural history of Rome. In response, we designed a floating travertine “scrim” that wraps the building, and stone carved loge seating, both of which are direct references to the famous Roman Colosseum. More impor- tantly to the fans however, is a 15,000-seat continuous rake seating deck in the south stand as a direct carryover from the fa- mously raucous Curva Sud in the current Stadio Olympico. In our current project for Everton Football Club, we are designing a new stadium on the historic Liverpool Docks. We are striv- ing to create a building that feels like it lit- erally grew out of the docks and marries the incredible context and history with a very contemporary vision for the future of the nearly 150-year-old club. We are also look- ing to physically integrate certain elements of Goodison Park, the long and well-loved home of EFC and one of the world’s greatest places to watch a football match. These are the kind of small but important touches that can ensure that a stadium is unique to a particular place, creates an in- timidating home pitch advantage and un- matched fan loyalty, and attracts sponsors who also are looking to distinguish their brands. While much of this article is focused on new builds, it must be said that in the same way that bigger isn’t necessarily better, newer isn’t either! It is a tragedy that dozens of perfectly salvageable stadiums have been re- placed in the US over the last few decades. Several professional arenas and stadiums, no more than 20-30 years old, have been abandoned in the last few years with the jus- tification that it is necessary for the health of the club. This is a horribly unsustainable practice that can be ruinous to a communi- ty. There have been some shining examples, such as Wrigley Field and Fenway Park, where the history and location of the stadi- umhave been determined important enough to focus on sensitive renovation rather than a new build. I believe it is possible to prove that in most cases the revenue capabilities can be delivered through smart renovation and hopefully this will gain more traction as clubs weigh their future options. If there is a lesson to glean here, I hope it is that the future stadiums can’t continue the current trends and remain viable. Clubs must resist the program and capacity envy that can often take hold of the process and focus on what is particularly necessary and special to their own unique conditions. No one ever leaves an incredible match talking about how big or how expensive the marble in the suite was. It is the ex- perience they remember, and the memory can last forever. The planned Stadio della Roma combines history, tradition and the future. Picture: MEIS architects  About the author Dan Meis, FAIA, is an internationally experienced designer of sports and entertainment architecture. Throughout his 28-year career, Dan Meis has de- signed dozens of sports venues, including Los An- geles’ Staples Center, Paul Brown Stadium, and the new AS Roma stadium. i