Although this experience is not like being in a stadium with thousands of screaming fans, there are certainly new opportunities that were not possible before. Fans can see each other’s reactions during live games and sit next to anyone virtually, including celebrities that may be watching. However, the sports industry continues to struggle on identifying what their new normal will be.Īlthough some organizations are testing out new technology in response to the crisis, recently the NBA has decided to broadcast a few of their games using virtual reality (VR) to enhance the home fan experience. Today that means buildings filled with lots of empty seats, huge underused concourses, and even worse, thousands of square feet of vacant parking.Īs a response to social distancing, many businesses have found creative ways to serve consumers, all while keeping people safe. Sports facilities around the country are designed to hold thousands, and in some cases, hundreds of thousands of fans. The idea of reimaging spaces in sports facilities is not a new topic but has recently become even more relevant due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Georgia State Stadium changed the culture of GSU Athletics and brought transformation to a neighborhood neglected for 20 years.Ī vacant Georgia State University Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia (Photo courtesy Qualite Sports Lighting, LLC) The selective demolition and well-planned moves reoriented the seating bowl and transformed its sightlines for football. Panther Football at Georgia State Stadium anchored the new development. SLAM’s masterplan proposed reusing the stadium and surrounding property to build an athletics village for Georgia State University (GSU) that would extend south from their downtown campus. This left Turner Field in serious risk of being demolished or left vacant, jeopardizing the viability of the Summerhill neighborhood’s urban renewal.ĭiagrams of stadium reuse plans: (1996 Olympic Stadium (left), 1996-2016 Turner Field – Atlanta Braves (center), 2017-Present Georgia State Stadium (right), bringing transformation to the neglected Summerhill neighborhood. In 2016, the Braves announced their intentions to build a new baseball stadium in the north suburbs of Atlanta. After the Olympics, precast sections from the Olympic stadium were reused to form the leftfield grandstands of Turner Field. For example, the 1996 Olympic stadium was designed by SLAM (formerly Heery Design) to later be converted into the new home of the Atlanta Braves. Some reuse is planned at the onset of a new construction project.
These projects are unique and complex, requiring careful decisions to ensure a successful design outcome. Many of these projects consist of transforming underused spaces and redesigning them to fit new programs.
I have been fortunate enough to work on a variety of projects in the SLAM Atlanta sports studio.