The Pitch is a mixed-use destination connecting a soccer training facility and practice stadium to an office business park.
It activates a part of Austin that has long lacked density and exists as an entertainment hub of its own. It’s an immediately iconic and memorable gathering place, filling a void in the North Austin tech landscape east of Interstate 35 previously only full of corporate office, single family and multi-family residential.
Starting with an open, unused piece of land, the design team created a venue that is transformed by architecture and landform, engendering a sense of enclosure and habitat.
Retail, restaurant, office and outdoor gathering needs are served from 23 re-purposed shipping containers of two standard container modular sizes: 8x20 foot and 8x40 foot.
The containers are stacked, creating two levels, and clustered into five building pods that function differently for the users while creating a dense visual and physical experience and view onto the landscape.
Each building pod is organized and stacked differently, while using the same custom detailing, material and color. This allows the focus on the form of each container to be consistent but the user experience to vary significantly from one to another. A mass timber pavilion with custom steel apertures further anchors the program between the practice stadium and The Pitch, creating a communal gathering hub for all patrons.
Open to the public seven days a week, the Pitch hosts seven local vendors that offer a variety of food, beverage, and retail options. Through this partnership, the vendors have gotten the chance for exposure to a wider customer base, and have brought an authentic Austin look and feel to the Venue.
The Pitch offers a variety of attractions in a compact space that still feels open and accessible; a result of human made place-making.