Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise Oakland Athletics has revealed detailed designs for an ambitious waterfront stadium.
Designed by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and his BIG practice, the 34,000-capacity stadium is being planned for a site at Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal.
The expansive project includes two connecting elements.
The site of the MLB team's current stadium, the Coliseum – where the club has played since 1968 – will be redeveloped in a way that will "benefit the community", while also providing resources for the privately financed stadium.
The Coliseum site will adopt a new identity by "absorbing the character" of the neighbourhoods around it, while the field will remain as a focal point honouring Oakland’s sports history. The parking lot will become a central park, containing a ballfield amphitheatre, event spaces, and restored wetlands.
Meanwhile, the stadium itself will have views of the city and water, as well as new civic, educational, cultural and recreational amenities for the local community.
Costs of the project have not yet been disclosed.
BIG is working on the designs of the stadium in collaboration with local architect Gensler and landscape experts Field Operations.
According to Bjarke Ingels, the ballpark will offer "the most intimate baseball experience in the world".
“Our design for the A’s new home at the heart of Oaklands revitalized waterfront seeks to return the game to its roots as the natural meeting place for the local community," Ingels said.
"An elevated treelined promenade frames the ballpark on all sides, dipping down to meet the public square and open the field to the water and city views.
"The perimeter park connects a cascade of social spaces for the fans to enjoy the sport on gamedays and extends the urban fabric with a neighbourhood park to be enjoyed all 365 days a year. In other words – we are bringing the ‘park’ back in ‘ballpark’.”
Oakland Athletics' president Dave Kaval said the venue would be "bigger than baseball."
"We are excited to build a bold, iconic ballpark at Howard Terminal," Kaval said.
"This design will allow us to blur the boundaries of a traditional ballpark and integrate into the surrounding neighbourhood."
The Athletics will now begin a yearlong, state environmental review of the proposals and the franchise is also in the process of negotiating an agreement with the Port of Oakland to acquire the 55-acre property.
