No city has had a greater impact on sports and stadium design than Kansas City. Boasting some of the most celebrated civic and private projects in the United States, this city, often dubbed the “Paris of the Plains,” has experienced significant economic, social and cultural change within the last 30 years. These larger forces have underpinned its architecture and international influence.
Kansas City is home to some of the biggest names in sporting design, with firms Populous, HOK and HNTB having built two-thirds of the country’s ballparks and laid the plans for London’s 2012 Olympic Stadium. They’ve crafted the language for major league stadium design as we know it today. While more and more firms are specializing in sports facilities across the country, most trace their origins back to the individuals who sparked this Kansas City specialization 40 years ago.
At the heart of Kansas City’s history is the Truman Sports Complex, a revolutionary project originated by architects Clarence Kivett and Ralph Myers in 1967. Housing the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals, the project proposed separate stadiums for baseball and football, in dimensions more akin to individual sports — an innovative move at a time when stadiums were designed as large, multi-use venues. Kivett and Myers proposed spiral ramps ascending to higher seating as well as a rolling roof and shared parking infrastructure between the two structures.
The following venues across the United States and abroad were inspired by Kivett and Myers’s original proposal and demonstrate Kansas City’s global impact on the typology. Whether you’re looking forward to Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium or continuing to celebrate the Royals winning the World Series, keep in mind how Kansas City has shaped sports architecture today.
Wimbledon AELTC by Populous, London, United Kingdom
Balancing tradition and innovation, the Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club was designed around the feel of “tennis in an English garden.” Populous worked with the AELTC for over a decade to help the Club embrace novel design standards. Featuring a retractable roof to shield against London’s notorious rain, additional seating, lifts and new facilities for club members, the project accommodates increased viewership within the historic 1922 show court.
© Keith Allison
Oriole Park at Camden Yards by Populous, Baltimore, United States
Forming a baseball-specific facility alongside Baltimore’s Inner Harbor development and the B&O Warehouse, this innovative design transformed the revenue capability of American ballparks. Embracing the location’s existing turn-of-the-century buildings, Oriole Park helped change the way architects approached a ballpark’s atmosphere and connection to its city.
© Esto
MetLife Stadium by HOK, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
Designed as the only US stadium to house two National Football League franchises, MetLife Stadium is home to both the New York Jets and New York Giants. Made with an outer skin of aluminum louvers and glass, the project includes a seating bowl that completely surrounds the field. Named the NFL’s “Greenest Stadium” by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the design was also recognized by the Green Sports Alliance.
© Populous
© Populous
London 2012 Olympic Stadium by Populous, London, United Kingdom
Widely recognized after the 2012 Olympic season, this stadium was designed for long-term use and features as part of London’s largest park development in more than 100 years. Exploring a theory of “embracing the temporary,” the project examined different materials, structures and operational systems that could transform the stadium into a 25,000-seat venue on completion of the Games — a venue that is slated to host the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships.
Yankee Stadium by Populous and Thornton Tomasetti, New York, United States
Reinvigorating the legacy of 1923’s Yankee Stadium, the new design built on the qualities of arguably the most iconic structure in the game of baseball. The ballpark features a four-story limestone and granite façade inspired by the original stadium as well as a 500-foot-wide video board with cantilevered end bays.
Levi’s Stadium by HNTB, Santa Clara, California, United States
HNTB’s Levi’s Stadium was created as one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the NFL. The first new-construction NFL stadium to achieve LEED® Gold certification, the project used a hybrid design-build model to become the NFL’s fastest-constructed stadium.
© Howard Lipin
Petco Park by Populous, San Diego, United States
Sited in San Diego’s East Village, Petco Park was designed to open up the space between the bowl’s steel structure and surrounding buildings to create canyons. Made with materials that echo the city’s cliffs, the ballpark embraces the local climate with multiple open spaces. Featuring a unique tree-lined area known as the “Park at the Park,” the design also serves as public space for the people of San Diego.
Sprint Center by the Downtown Arena Design Team, Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Right at home in Kansas City, the Sprint Center was part of a development plan that included both a brand-new arena and entertainment district. The design was realized by a four-firm group comprised of local Kansas City architects. Featuring a 360-degree glass façade with views into the arena, the project houses various professional sports and represents traditional Midwestern values.