Expanding the Field: A New Prototype for Stadium Design

Blecha, Joseph J.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/24133 Copy

Description

Title

Expanding the Field: A New Prototype for Stadium Design

Author(s)

Blecha, Joseph J.

Issue Date

2011-05-25T14:57:13Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Fulton, Gale

Department of Study

Landscape Architecture

Discipline

Landscape Architecture

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.L.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Stadium Design
• Large Parks
• Landscape Architecture
• Architecture
• Transdisciplinary Design
• Los Angeles
• National Football League
• City of Industry
• Rhinoceros 3D
• Total Design Theory
• Resiliency
• Legibility

Abstract

This thesis proposes an alternative development model and new landscape typology by synthesizing the forms and programs of a contemporary National Football League (NFL) stadium and a large park onto a single site. The resulting landscape is a public domain that is open year round and features a plethora of programmed and unprogrammed opportunities resulting in distributed utility across spatial and temporal scales. The added utility activation reflects today’s multifaceted societal challenges. The public demands spaces that accommodate a diverse range of leisure and commercial preferences while minimizing the economic and environmental costs. The destination for the hybrid park is a 320 acre site in Industry, California and a direct response to the growing interest to relocate an NFL team to the greater Los Angeles area and Majestic Realty’s 2009 stadium proposal. The design strategy samples scholar Julia Czerniak’s large park resiliency and legibility concepts, generalist design tactics, and total design theory. These, along with site context, existing topography, and current NFL stadium and large park landscape land typology quantities, formulate the park’s ultimate form and program. The resulting design is a single site that translates multi-modal transportation solutions through vast restored natural plant communities to a stadium structure respectful of built and naturalistic context. The implications of this work are its strategic process and experimental products. The process of optimizing utility by synthesizing different programs is applicable to any space making project. The product of a stadium and a large park on the Industry site creates a new utilitarian landscape category and a precedent for future developers in Los Angeles and beyond.

Graduation Semester

2011-05

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/24133

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2011 Joseph J. Blecha

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