Architecture Research Office (ARO) and Heery International have designed the West Pavilion, a 115,000 square-foot extension to the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium. Set at one of America’s most historic college football venues, the new expansion will stretch 450 feet in length —about half of the stadium—and “will introduce the program’s first true premium seating, club spaces, and high-end press facilities.”
In addition to being a part of university-wide expansions, the project is the centerpiece of the $86 million renovation of Nippert Stadium itself, which includes adding more restrooms and concessions, and better pedestrian circulation.
While the West Pavilion looks very modern in appearance, a great deal of historical consideration was involved in the design of the project: “Construction began on the Bearcats’ original football stadium—the fifth oldest in America—in 1915, so preserving the historic and intimate nature of the space became one of [ARO’s] leading motivations.” In particular, “great care was taken to make sure the views into the field from Main Street were still present.”
Along with historical importance, the UC campus additionally boasts architectural prominence, with work by architects like Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne, Charles Gwathmey, Henry Cobb, Peter Eisenman, David Childs, and Michael Graves.
The West Pavilion itself, distinctively framed by X-braced steel and sheathed in glass, will contain club lounges, a designated press area, catering and kitchen facilities, a lower-level loading dock, a rooftop terrace, and larger interior gathering spaces, all of which can be used not only for sporting events, but also for year-round academic events.
With the expansion of the West Pavilion, the standing room capacity of the stadium will increase from 35,000 to about 40,000. The project will be completed by September of 2015, just in time to host the Bearcats’ first game on September 5.
Learn more about the project in the images below, or here.
News via the University of Cincinnati.
