Populous has unveiled plans for a new Chargers football stadium that is meant to capture the "essence of San Diego," California. The 68,000-seat stadium, planned to be built on the Qualcomm Stadium site in Mission Valley, will feature a "kinetic skin" that will mimic the sound of the ocean as it sways in the wind.
"We wanted to make sure as a team that we were making this a really authentic place and people who see it will say, 'That represents our city - that represents where the Chargers should be. They've been here over 50 years and they should stay here.' This stadium represents that. This is an expression of San Diego," Populous senior principal Scott Radecic told the San Diego Union Tribune.
Both, the intentional breaks in the seating bowl to allow bystanders to view inside the stadium and a series of landscaped terraces were also inspired by the city's vernacular.
"There were a lot of things that influenced the design on the stadium," Radecic said. "One is San Diego and its interconnected villages. When people talk about San Diego they say I live in La Jolla or Del Mar, Hillcrest, Point Loma, and that aspect of San Diego we found very striking and interesting along with a lot of the natural terrain."
A fan park, corporate hospitality area, VIP atrium, Sideline Club, Hall of Fame museum, landscaped promenades, and Super Bowl-ready features, such as two home-team-sized locker rooms and four tunnels leading to the field have all been integrated into the design.
The 1967 Qualcomm Stadium will not be demolished until the 2019 season. The new stadium is expected to occupy the northeast corner of the 166-acre site due to its sloping terrain, which will require minimal excavation.
News via The San Diego Union Tribune
