Total Quality Logistics (TQL) Stadium, a 26,000-seat soccer venue, has completed construction on 12.4 acres in downtown Cincinnati. The stadium, which will be home to FC Cincinnati, connects the historic neighborhoods of Over-the-Rhine and West End.
The stadiums is wrapped in over 500 vertically-oriented aluminum fins, each fully programmable through an integrated LED video display system. During the night, the exterior offers a dynamic video display that showcases the club’s brand, atmospheric graphics, and match-day messaging. During the day, the architectural fins create a singular twisting motion that signifies the tension between two teams on the pitch.
Inside the stadium, fans have a 360-degree continuous seating bowl with no breaks, putting all the focus on the pitch. The Bailey, FC Cincinnati’s supporters’ section, is situated in the North stands. Here, 3,170 fans standing on a 34-degree slope, create a wall of sound of the pitch. Above The Bailey is the widest video board in any North American soccer-specific stadium.
The height and orientation of the stadium were designed to minimize shadows cast on the surrounding neighborhood while the programmable LED facade primarily faces east to respect nearby residents to the west. An expansive East Plaza will greet supporters with a grand staircase that faces the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and serves as a front porch and a means to channel fan energy.
The Tunnel Club uses materials such as teak wood and warm tones reminiscent of institutions like the Cincinnati Music Hall while the First Financial Club was inspired by Over-the-Rhine and the city’s brewing traditions to bring a fresh take on the conventional beer hall.
In a nod to the team orange and blue color palette, the design team programmed a contemporary interpretation to express the bold hues. Copper and brass materials take the place of orange, creating warm tones while paying homage to the city’s industrial history. In place of the team’s blue, a muted dark navy hue is seen throughout the stadium from common areas to the suites to the seating bowl.
In addition to Populous, Buro Happold provided structural engineering services and Elevar served as the local associate architect. Turner Construction served as the general contractor.
Related Stories
| Oct 30, 2014
New hotel to be developed at future Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters
The Omni property will be one of the only full-service upscale hotels in the area, and serve as a cornerstone of the mixed-use development, which will be anchored by the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and Frisco’s Multi-Use Event Center.
| Oct 20, 2014
Singapore Sports Hub claims world's largest free-spanning dome
The retractable roof, which measures a whopping 1,017-feet across, is made from translucent ETFE plastic panels supported with metal rigging that arches over the main pitch.
| Oct 16, 2014
Perkins+Will white paper examines alternatives to flame retardant building materials
The white paper includes a list of 193 flame retardants, including 29 discovered in building and household products, 50 found in the indoor environment, and 33 in human blood, milk, and tissues.
| Oct 15, 2014
Harvard launches ‘design-centric’ center for green buildings and cities
The impetus behind Harvard's Center for Green Buildings and Cities is what the design school’s dean, Mohsen Mostafavi, describes as a “rapidly urbanizing global economy,” in which cities are building new structures “on a massive scale.”
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
| Sep 22, 2014
4 keys to effective post-occupancy evaluations
Perkins+Will's Janice Barnes covers the four steps that designers should take to create POEs that provide design direction and measure design effectiveness.
| Sep 22, 2014
Sound selections: 12 great choices for ceilings and acoustical walls
From metal mesh panels to concealed-suspension ceilings, here's our roundup of the latest acoustical ceiling and wall products.
| Sep 17, 2014
Atlanta Braves break ground on mixed-use ballpark development
SunTrust Park will be constructed by American Builders 2017, a joint venture between Brasfield & Gorrie, Mortenson Construction, Barton Malow Company, and New South Construction.
| Sep 9, 2014
Using Facebook to transform workplace design
As part of our ongoing studies of how building design influences human behavior in today’s social media-driven world, HOK’s workplace strategists had an idea: Leverage the power of social media to collect data about how people feel about their workplaces and the type of spaces they need to succeed.
