The renovation works at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium are complete. Works carried out feature the (re-)construction of a lighthouse, the installation of the biggest video-scoreboard in American sports as well as enhanced hospitality areas.
Henderson Engineers, a national building systems design firm, was responsible for the completion of a $250 million north end renovation of Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots and the MLS’ New England Revolution. Standout features include a state-of-the-art curved-radius video board and a new 22-story “Lighthouse.” Concluded this September in alignment with the start of the 2023/24 NFL season, the project is the largest ever modernization of Gillette Stadium since it opened 21 years ago.
image: Eric J. Adler/New England Patriots
“Gillette Stadium hosts football, soccer, concerts, and other smaller events year-round, so a high level of collaboration was needed across the entire design and construction team to keep the venue operational throughout the two-year north end renovation,” said Tyler Johnson, venue sector practice manager at Henderson Engineers. “While Henderson has worked on various other Gillette Stadium enhancements since 2014, nothing beats the excitement of successfully delivering the most complex and significant transformation yet.”
Spanning 22,200-square-feet, the new high-definition videoboard follows the arc of the stadium and is the largest of its kind in American sports. Audio-video experts helped nail down specifications for the jumbotron while its electrical team oversaw controls and power systems. The board was installed in phases during the last two consecutive summers so as to not interfere with the stadium’s large events schedule.
image: David Sarnevitz/New England Patriots
Standing at 220 feet high, the “Lighthouse” includes a 360-degree observation deck offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Boston and Rhode Island region. The lights within the tower are equipped with color changing and color tuning functionality, providing the capability to illuminate numerous hues and patterns for game day celebrations and other festivities. Henderson furthermore designed for a snow melt system to keep the observation deck accessible to patrons during all seasons.
Other notable enhancements include a revamped Enel Plaza, offering a new grand entrance to the venue. Above the plaza sits the new 50,000-square-foot A-P Atrium, a multipurpose space that overlooks the field and functions as a premium club on game days and an event space on other occasions.
“Gillette Stadium is a beloved landmark for millions of fans in the Northeast and across the country. This renovation project further entrenches it as not only as premier destination for sports events, but also for other recreational activities throughout the year,” said Johnson.
In addition to audio-video, electrical, and lighting, Henderson’s full scope of design services for the north end renovation included acoustical consulting, energy modeling, fire protection, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom. Populous served as the architect and Suffolk Construction was the general contractor. (STADIAWORLD, 29.09.2023)
