ATLANTA NEW STADIUM DESIGN SERIES
ATLANTA NEW STADIUM DESIGN TV

ATLANTA NEW STADIUM DESIGN SERIES

While the roof, video halo display and the views outside will attract the most initial attention, AMB Group and the Falcons paid equal attention to improving the fan experience, holding a series of focus groups and fan councils to learn what ticket-buyers valued most. вЂњOn the west, it becomes up to 70% fritted.вЂќ Elsewhere, the dot screen becomes more and more opaque,вЂќ Johnson says. вЂњOn the east side with the view of the skyline and on the north side itвЂ™s 100% clear. Instead of minimizing the material, though, the architects created a frit that goes over it. вЂњItвЂ™s always a balancing act in terms of how clear and open the building can be.вЂќ The real challenge, though, was the south and west faГ§ades of the building, where the ETFE caused what the architect calls an вЂњextremeвЂќ heat gain. For example, the petals of the roof opening were initially intended to be clear, but mechanical studies showed that вЂњit was impossible to keep the building coolвЂќ, Johnson explains. With so much transparency, the designers were challenged to balance the desire for light and openness with the extra heat gain that can result. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

ATLANTA NEW STADIUM DESIGN TV

The money shot on TV will be this huge opening in the east side of the building facing downtown.вЂќ We wanted it to be an invitation to come to this building, and a window to the city. вЂњWe needed a building that when open could feel open,вЂќ explains Falcons team president Rich McKay. Mercedes-Benz StadiumвЂ™s angular metal faГ§ade on the upper portion of the stadium gives way to whole walls of glass below вЂ“ manufactured and installed by Crown Corr вЂ“ which not only can be partially opened to allow natural ventilation, but also gives attendees a view out to the city. The building is noticeably transparent, with more glass and transparent ETFE than even facilities such as MinneapolisвЂ™s US Bank Stadium, which has ETFE covering half its roof. ItвЂ™s wanting to move around and see the event from different perspectives.вЂќ I think this building will be transformational for the fans because of that connection. ThereвЂ™s a reluctance to leave your seats. If you go to the concessions you donвЂ™t want to miss something. In the industry, one thing weвЂ™re always confronted with is that connectivity. ThereвЂ™s very few places in the building where you donвЂ™t have a view to the halo. YouвЂ™re always connected to whatвЂ™s going on. Wherever you are in those concourses you see that digital display. вЂњI think that seems to be the thing people are mesmerized by.

вЂњA lot of people talk about the roof, butДЄs cool as it is, itвЂ™s probably not as special as the video halo,вЂќ explains Mike Gomes, senior vice president of fan experience for AMB Sports & Entertainment Group (AMBSE), team owner Arthur BlankвЂ™s company. Developed by Daktronics and featuring technical infrastructure created by IBM, the 63,800ft2 video display will be the largest at any American sports stadium. Designed by HOK in collaboration with TVS Design and engineer BuroHappold, with Birdair as a specialty contractor for the roof and faГ§adeвЂ™s ETFE, the roof can open in 10-12 minutes, much faster than comparable stadia.Д«elow the circular roof opening is something just as unprecedented: a first-of-its-kind digital LED video scoreboard display curving 360В° in the shape of a halo. Opened in September 2017 and with a budget of more than US$1.5bn, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the first facility with a retractable roof that opens not with a single side-to-side mechanism, but with eight pieces moving outward from the center, resembling the petals of a flower. The buildings are being asked to have a degree of showmanship thatвЂ™s becoming part of the expectations.вЂќ They have so much opportunity for content off their mobile devices and the broadcasts are so good, that thereвЂ™s a disincentive to come out to the game. вЂњFans now have a tendency to want to stay at home. вЂњThe buildings are being asked to really be a spectacle,вЂќ says Johnson. Eye-catching architectural experience is more necessary than ever to attract fans. The home of the NFLвЂ™s Atlanta Falcons вЂ“ as well as the MLSвЂ™s Atlanta United and a succession of concerts вЂ“ Mercedes-Benz StadiumвЂ™s ambition also reflects changing industry needs.

Atlanta new stadium design