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Futuristic Soldier Field concept urges Bears to stay in Chicago

Local architecture studio Edward Peck Design has proposed adding a translucent canopy to the Chicago Bears’ stadium to convince the NFL team to stay in the city.

Edward Peck Design designed the concept stadium to meet the desires of the team for a next-generation stadium, with a roof, expanded seating and an entertainment complex.

The studio created the concept to demonstrate how the team could redevelop its current site and stay in the city.

Following pushback from conservationists contributed to the Chicago Bears abandoning plans to build a Manica Architecture-designed stadium slightly south of the current one, the team has seriously considered sites in the neighbouring state of Indiana.

“The Bears should stay”

“We’re not looking to be the architect of the next Bears stadium, but everyone that you talk to in Chicago says the Bears should stay,” studio founder Edward Peck told Dezeen. “They need to stay. This is the heart of Chicago.”

“They’re saying that’s not possible at Soldier Field,” said Peck. “I have an anonymous client who is a lifetime Bears fan who said, ‘I don’t believe them.'”

Chicago Bears concept stadium rendering — Edward Peck Design has designed a concept to urge the Chicago Bears to stay in the city

Peck, who is an expert in ETFE installation and has worked for architecture and engineering studios such as Helmut Jahn and Thornton Tomasetti, set out to show the feasibility of expanding the current Soldier Field complex.

This includes suspending a massive ETFE canopy over the field to enclose it, building on top of the modern 2002 addition to the 1920s stadium.

Around the complex, Peck and his team proposed a deck that would elevate an entertainment complex over the adjacent railyards and Lake Shore Drive.

Decking over Lake Shore Drive

The deck aligns with a plan put forward by developer Bob Dunn, and echoes the Chicago Park District’s suggestion of capping the lake-side highway elsewhere along the park complex that lines Chicago’s riverfront.

“The concept of decking over Lake Shore Drive and the rail station has been done,” said Peck. “Millennium Park is a result of that.”

“And so it’s part of the language of Chicago now, and the future is to start to consider things like that,” he continued.

On top of the decking would be a series of 50 to 65-storey skyscrapers with entertainment programmes on the lower floors. According to Peck, the skyscrapers would generate revenue for the city, while the ground floors could generate the team’s desired revenue.

The district would also serve the adjacent museum district and convention centre, as well as the mass of residential buildings and office structures in the southern part of Downtown Chicago.

“You have this entertainment district that needs to succeed the other 357 days of the year that there isn’t a football game, right? And so to do that, you have to have a critical mass of people,” said Peck.

“Now they are considering the stadium in Aurora, which is like 30 miles north of the city, and in Indiana, which is like 30 miles southeast of the city – those locations are not going to be able to support it.”

“I’m fearful of what this would do to this city”

Peck’s team has pointed to both the Shed complex in Hudson Yards in New York and Miami’s stadium renovation as precedents for this type of project.

Surrounding the stadium itself would be a plaza as well as additional restaurants and amenities, all covered by a “green carpet” that would reduce the amount of exposed concrete and blend the expanded complex into the park.

Peck also imagines a high-speed water taxi mooring to service the stadium.

He conceded that the deck and skyscraper portion could exceed a billion dollars in investment, but that the reuse of the stadium could allow for that portion to be built with as much as a 60 per cent reduction from a ground-up build.

“The goal is to open this dialogue and have the Bears be challenged a little bit,” said Peck on his ambition for the proposal.

“This was a proof of concept. None of this stuff hasn’t been done before. It’s, think, a creative way of looking at how you can accomplish the Bear’s mission.”

Chicago Bears concept rendering — The concept includes decking to support skyscrapers over Lake Shore Dr

On top of that, Peck said that moving the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field would throw into question the financial future of the historic stadium.

“The fact is, if you have an enclosed stadium a quarter mile away, or even if it’s in northwest Indiana, it’s going to be taking the winter concerts, take away that revenue,” he said.

“I’m fearful of what this would do to this city.”

Multiple Indiana municipalities have already put in bids for the stadium, and Bear’s ownership and NFL officials are expected to make decisions about the team’s future soon.

Other recent moves in the NFL include the Oakland Raiders moving to a purpose-built stadium in Las Vegas.

The images and video are by Edward Peck Design.

Exploring the idea of the Bears moving

Exploring the idea of moving the Chicago Bears stadium to a location outside of Chicago opens up various alternatives that could benefit both the team and the surrounding communities. Here are several considerations for such a move:

1. Suburban Development

Moving to a suburban area could attract a larger fan base from the surrounding suburbs, where many Bears fans currently reside. Suburbs like Arlington Heights or Naperville may offer more space for a stadium and parking.

2. Cost-Effective Solutions

Constructing a new stadium in a less urban area could potentially lower costs related to land acquisition and construction. This could allow for more funding to be directed toward fan amenities and experiences.

3. Better Traffic Management

A stadium located outside the city might ease traffic congestion during game days, providing more accessible entrances and exits and potentially improving the overall experience for attendees.

4. Enhanced Stadium Features

A new location could allow for the design and construction of a state-of-the-art facility, incorporating modern technology and sustainability features that could enhance the fan experience and reduce environmental impact.

5. Community and Economic Benefits

The presence of the Bears in a new location could spur local economic development, creating jobs and revitalizing areas through increased tourism and event-related activities.

Conclusion

Moving the Chicago Bears stadium outside of Chicago presents unique opportunities to strengthen community ties, improve game-day experiences, and foster economic growth. Such a decision would necessitate careful planning and collaboration with local governments to ensure mutual benefits.

Washington Commanders share new stadium renderings by HKS

Daniel Jonas Roche |

The new renderings give a sense of what the fan experience will look like on the ground.

Visuals reveal the stadium’s perimeter shrouded in vegetation and a new spherocylindrical, capsule-shaped grass lawn for tailgating, concerts, etc. The lawn feeds into a plaza that fronts the main entry.

aerial view of Washington Commanders stadium — New renderings show the perimeter shrouded in vegetation. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

Updated renderings also show how the stadium will appear from three major access points: East Capitol Street Northeast, the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge, and East Capitol Street Southeast.

The stadium’s concave profile will maintain sight lines from East Capitol Street Southeast of the Capital Building and Washington Monument, according to the renderings.

Architecturally speaking, the new renderings also show subtle changes in the columns.

lawn in front of washington commanders stadium — A large grass lawn will host tailgates and concerts. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

road and view of stadium — View from East Capitol Street Southeast shows the roof of the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument towering up over the roof of the stadium. (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

The last batch of renderings by HKS was issued in January; the tranche showed the stadium’s form and how it will axially respond to the U.S. Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, in alignment with the L’Enfant Plan.

Conceptual drawings by HKS were subsequently submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for consideration on February 5. NCPC chairman Will Scharf called the design by HKS “a really incredible stadium,” while others said there was room for improvement.

Paul Ingrassia, General Services Administration acting general counsel, noted he appreciated “the references to classical architecture,” by HKS but said the columns could be redesigned to “convey a sense of heft and gravity for when people enter.”

As per Ingrassia’s direction, this latest cache shows the profile intact, albeit with perhaps more Greco-Roman influence in the columns, which seem to be different in plan.

A tall, vertical void is located at the outset of the columns, per the new renderings, creating a sense of depth and shadows.

road and view of washington commanders stadium — View from Whitney Young Memorial Bridge (Courtesy Washington Commanders)

The roofed stadium will ultimately be able to host 70,000 people and serve as an anchor of a mixed-use development. HKS noted 30 percent of the 180-acre site will be open space.

Vertical construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2027, and full completion is scheduled for 2030.

The Washington Commanders noted the design process is ongoing; the franchise is still seeking input from stakeholders, city officials, and community members.

The jury is still out on whether or not the stadium will be named after President Trump.

Sports district to be built around world’s largest stadium in India

by Amy Peacock

Architecture studios BDP, Cox Architecture and Collage Design have revealed designs for a trio of sports venues in Ahmedabad, India, which will be built alongside the world’s largest stadium.

Named Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, the complex will include a tennis venue, aquatics centre and indoor arena near the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium – a cricket ground that opened in 2020 and is the largest stadium in the world.

Situated along the Sabarmati River, the masterplan was designed by BDP, Cox Architecture and Collage Design as a city park and sports district ahead of Ahmedabad hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the wider Gujarat state hosting the 2029 World Police and Fire Games.

The new venues at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, which will be decorated with features that draw upon traditional Indian architecture, will be designed so that they can be used by local residents outside of major sports tournaments.

“Our vision for the Sports Enclave is to create an inclusive, sustainable and distinctly Indian destination for world sport,” said BDP India head Manisha Bhartia.

“By drawing on Ahmedabad’s architectural traditions and blending them with cutting-edge design and technology, we are designing beyond single-use, sporting venues that decay over time,” she continued. “We are shaping new, visually beautiful places that will host the world’s greatest sporting moments, but also remain an active, vibrant part of the city’s everyday life for decades to come.”

Tennis centre at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave — A fabric roof will top a circular tennis court

A tennis centre will be built on the eastern side of the Narendra Modi Stadium. It will include a 10,000-seat centre court, two show courts with capacities of 5,000 and 3,000 seats, and additional outdoor courts.

The centre court will have a circular shape with a raised fabric roof designed for shading and natural ventilation.

At the eastern end of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave will be an 18,000-seat indoor arena, which will host gymnastics and basketball events at the Commonwealth Games. After the games it will be used for concerts and other sports events.

The exterior will be clad in bronze anodised aluminium jali – a perforated screen with ornamental patterns found in traditional Indian architecture

At the western end of the masterplan, an aquatics centre will feature glazed walls with coloured glass louvres, designed to give a glowing appearance that evokes Diwali lanterns.

Topped with a swooping roof, the aquatics centre will host 12,000 spectators for swimming and diving events during major tournaments, and be reduced to a capacity of 4,000 when functioning as a community pool.

A National Institute of Sports Excellence will be located between the Narendra Modi Stadium and tennis centre, designed as a place for aspiring sports players with training halls, gymnasiums, recovery equipment and biomedical facilities.

Parks, restaurants and community sports courts will be added to the outdoor space along the riverfront.

Aquatics centre designed by BDP, Cox Architecture and Collage Design — The aquatics centre will be designed to have a glowing appearance reminiscent of Diwali lanterns

“The rich architectural response, building on Indian modernity and tradition, has created a truly unique design full of meaning and context that will make a lasting experience for global sporting events as well as a legacy that goes beyond such events,” said Cox Architecture director Alastair Richardson.

“This new public park and associated architecture will place Ahmedabad on the world stage for many years to come.”

The images are courtesy of BDP.

Populous launches Atlanta office as stadium business booms

By Henry Queen – Staff Reporter, Atlanta Business Chronicle

Populous is setting up shop in Atlanta after 30 years of local projects dating back to the 1996 Olympic Games.

The global design firm recently debuted here with five employees but could rapidly grow, said Jonathan Mallie, managing director of the Americas at Populous. The office is at 505 North Angier Ave. NE, where the Industrious at Old Fourth Ward coworking space is located.

Industry veterans Rob Svedberg and Lee Pollock were recruited from TVS and Jacobs, respectively, to lead the office.

“We’ve always had an eye on the Southeast,” Maillie told Atlanta Business Chronicle in a phone interview. “But for one reason or another, we never opened an office in the Southeast despite the number of projects we had. Taking a look at the amount of work, Atlanta makes the most sense in the world. You’re talking about an international hub; an incredible, vibrant city; and a place that we’re extremely excited to be a part of.”

The company’s portfolio of work includes Truist Park; Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion; Nashville, Tennessee’s Geodis Park soccer stadium; and the renovation of Synovus Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves’ minor-league affiliate in Columbus. Then known as HOK Sport, the company was also instrumental in planning out the venues and temporary infrastructure for the ’96 Olympics.

Ongoing stadium projects in the Southeast are Mobile Arena in Alabama and the University of South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium, which is benefiting from approximately $350 million in upgrades.

Kansas City, Missouri-based Populous is also active at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport through its subsidiary Fentress Studios, which it acquired for an undisclosed sum in June 2025. That Denver-based architecture firm is working to create a more efficient lobby and security checkpoint at the north terminal.

Airports are similar to stadiums, Maillie said, in that they draw large crowds of people and are ripe for improving the customer experience.

The people that Populous recruited to head the Atlanta office are notable. Svedberg was involved in the initial design work at LaGrange Cricket Stadium, the 10,500-seat project that broke ground late last year. Other projects of his include the expansion of New York City’s Javits Center, Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, Nashville’s new Nissan Stadium and the rooftop expansion of the Colorado Convention Center in Downtown Denver.

Pollock brings 30 years of design experience, with projects located in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Other team members include Jonathan Bartlett, Matt Friesen and Meredith Mejia.

Just last month, Populous opened an office in Austin, Texas. Headcount at its Los Angeles office, meanwhile, grew about tenfold since its opening, Maille said.

“We have every intention of growing the Atlanta office,” Maille said. “It can move quickly if things are going well.”

Populous has 35 offices across the world, employing more than 1,600 people.

Last year, the firm relocated its Kansas City headquarters in the Country Club Plaza area to Downtown’s 1400KC building, also home to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

Populous also recently launched a new real estate service focused on designing mixed-use districts around sports, entertainment and civic venues. Atlanta is a hotbed for that activity, as evidenced by The Battery Atlanta surrounding Truist Park and Centennial Yards rising in the shadows of Downtown’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.

“We refer to them as experiential districts that are developing around venues,” Maillie said. “And those venues could be sports facilities, they could be purely concert venues. They could be airports, or they could be convention centers. [It’s] almost a movement right now.”

Eight high-profile stadiums set to open around the world in 2026

This year will see high-profile stadiums for football, rugby, American football and ice hockey complete in countries including USA, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and Kenya. Here are eight of the most impactful.

New Highmark Stadium, USA, by Populous

Nearing completion in Buffalo, New York, the new Highmark Stadium will become the home of NFL team Buffalo Bills.

One of several high-profile stadiums designed by US studio Populous completing this year, the 62,000-seat venue was informed by the architecture of Buffalo and was designed to have an “intimate yet intimidating” atmosphere.

“[It] merges their projection of strength with modern materials and a building form that is set to create an intimate and intimidating football-first environment,” said Populous senior principal Jonathan Mallie.

Find out more about New Highmark Stadium here ›

Inter Miami Freedom Park Stadium, USA, Manica Architecture

Also in the US, Miami Freedom Park will open as the home of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, which is co-owned by English footballer David Beckham, later this year.

Designed by US studio Manica Architecture, the 25,000-seat stadium will be located near Miami Airport to the west of the city. It will sit within a 58-acre parkland site designed by architecture studio Arquitectonica containing hotels, restaurants, soccer fields and athletic courts.

New Ankara Stadium, by Bahadır Kul Architects, Turkey

Set to be the home of the Turkey national football team and host games during Euro 2032, New Ankara Stadium in the country’s capital is also set to complete later this year.

Designed by Turkish studio Bahadır Kul Architects, the 58,000-seat stadium will be topped by a steel roof that was informed by the “form of the soccer ball”.

Talanta Sports Stadium, Kenya, by Major Victor King’e

Currently being built by Chinese contractor China Road and Bridge Corporation, the 60,000-seat Talanta Sports Stadium in Nairobi will be the largest venue in the country when it is completed.

Officially named the Raila Odinga International Stadium after Kenya’s former prime minister, the covered stadium will be almost entirely wrapped in a white steel mesh. Supported on the decorative facade will be eight giant shields that match the motif from the country’s flag.

The stadium is being built ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and will host the tournament’s final.

Te Kaha’ – One New Zealand Stadium, New Zealand, by Populous and Warren and Mahoney

Nearing completion in Christchurch, New Zealand, Te Kaha’ – One New Zealand Stadium, will be a multi-use venue for rugby union, rugby league and football, as well as music events.

Being built as part of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan, the 30,000-seat stadium will replace the Lancaster Park stadium, which was damaged in the 2011 earthquake.

Aramco Stadium, Saudi Arabia, by Foster + Partners and Populous

As Saudi Arabia prepares to host the World Cup in 2034, the first of a slew of new stadiums for the tournament is set to complete this year in Khobar, on the country’s eastern coast.

With a concept by UK studio Foster + Partners and now being completed by Populous, the design of the 47,000-seat Aramco Stadium was informed by whirlpools.

“The stadium’s architecture celebrates the sea’s dynamic nature and its profound influence on the local community,” said a description in the official World Cup bid document. “Its whirlpool-shaped design mimics overlapping sails and draws on graceful, natural wave motifs, to blend seamlessly with the coastal landscape.”

Find out more about Aramco Stadium here ›

Etihad Stadium, UK, by Populous

Another project by Populous that is set to complete this year is the expansion to football club Manchester City’s stadium in England.

Populous’s redevelopment of the Etihad Stadium will increase the seating capacity of the North Stand by more than 5,000 by extending it upwards. Attached to the stand will be a building containing a 400-bed hotel, museum and club shop.

Find out more about Etihad Stadium here ›

Santa Giulia arena in Milan by David Chipperfield

Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, Italy, by David Chipperfield

Set to host the ice hockey matches at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena was designed by David Chipperfield Architects. The 14,000-seat arena was designed to reference traditional amphitheatres.

“The elliptical form of the building is inspired by the archetype of the amphitheatre, being reinterpreted with modern tectonics and materials,” said David Chipperfield Architects.

The arena is set to open at the beginning of February when the 2026 Winter Olympics begins, however, last week International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif revealed that the venue will not be fully complete when the tournament begins.

HKS releases first design of colonnaded Washington Commanders Stadium

Ben Dreith

Architecture studio HKS and NFL team the Washington Commanders have revealed images of a “monumental” stadium wrapped in a colonnade, set to be built in Washington, DC.

With a capacity of more than 70,000, the Washington Commanders Stadium at the RFK Campus was designed by HKS to be monumental, both in its sheer size and impact on the Washington DC skyline.

It will be wrapped in a white colonnade that recalls the city’s civic monuments including the Lincoln Memorial.

According to the team, it was designed with respect to the layout of Washington DC – known as the L’Enfant Plan – with deference to the Capitol Building and the RFK Stadium that is currently on the site.

“Every design decision is guided by the significance of place – shaped by its local, regional and national history and generations of memories rooted in RFK Stadium,” said HKS global venues director Mark A Williams.

“Monumental in presence, grounded in the L’Enfant Plan and scaled to the urban fabric of the district, the stadium design will be a bold civic landmark that carries the city’s architectural legacy forward in a way that is confident, dynamic and unmistakably Washington, DC.”

Positioned on a roundabout interchange adjacent to the Anacostia River and the parklands of the RFK Campus, the stadium will have a cable-net, anti-clastic glass roofing system.

The shape of the roof “establishes a dynamic yet respectful profile rising to welcome visitors from the north and south while maintaining a lower presence along the east–west axis in deference to the US Capitol and monuments,” according to HKS.

The sleek column system will stand in front of large expanses of glass. Around the roofline, the columns will intersect with a massive bezel-like form that lines the rim of the bowl. The columns will be most likely be made from coloured concrete.

Renderings show a potential lantern-like effect at night, given the large amounts of glass used for the facade treatment.

At the primary entry points on the east and west side, the bowl will dip down to compress a wide glass-fronted entryway. Within the stadium, the field will be sunk meaning visitors enter at a higher plane, similar to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

This entrance will sit on a plinth, reminiscent of other civic buildings in Washington DC.

Hardscape surrounding the stadium will allow for pre-game gatherings and other public events, and the renderings show millions of square feet of development, laid out to adhere to the Perkins Eastman masterplan of the RFK campus, which connects to the river.

The stadium design has been highly anticipated. Though the Washington Commanders stopped using RFK in the late 1990s, other sports such as football, baseball and collegiate American football were played there through the 2010s, with the George Dahl-designed stadium going out of commission in 2019.

It is currently being gradually disassembled.

RFK’s site has been contentious given the multiple jurisdictions in Washington DC. However, last year, the property moved from being administered by the National Parks Service to the local government, which leased out the land to the Commanders and approved the development plans late last year.

Due to its proximity to the capital, the design has also been the subject of national debate. The Donald Trump-appointed chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), the commission that oversees buildings in the Capital Region, suggested that the stadium should be “classical” at a meeting in December.

A source close to the project said that the decision to have the collonades on the stadium occurred well before these comments, and that the Washington Commanders’ management and architects will work with the NCPC, which has an advisory but not approbative say in the matter.

The renderings suggest an integration of both classical and contemporary elements in the design.

Washington Commanders president Mark Clouse emphasised the focus on football in his statement on the design release, as well as the importance of the structure to the wider community. Community engagement processes requesting feedback for the design are ongoing.

“We’re designing a stadium that amplifies the energy of football, supports year-round events and becomes a place the community can be proud of,” said Clouse. “We look forward to hearing feedback from our community as the design continues to evolve.”

Washington DC’s mayor Muriel Bowser emphasised the proximity to public transport, as well as the job creation attendant to the project.

“These renderings give DC a lot to look forward to – a beautiful and unique waterfront stadium and the return of our Commanders; year-round events that are steps away from an entertainment district and public transportation,” said Bowser.

The Washington Commanders will continue to play at their current stadium in the adjacent state of Maryland until the Washington Commanders Stadium at the RFK Campus opens around 2030.

HKS has designed other NFL stadiums, including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and is also working with the Cleveland Browns team for its new stadium.

Several options at play as DC leaders consider transit for new Commanders stadium

Homa Bash WASHINGTON

DC leaders discuss transit options for the Commanders’ new stadium.

D.C. council members and transportation leaders met for hours on Wednesday to figure out the best way to get people in and out of the new Commanders stadium.

Planning starts:

We’re just about 14 months away from the start of construction, but the conversation about transportation is well underway.

Leaders repeatedly made it clear that this transportation plan isn’t just for Commanders’ fans on eight or nine Sundays — it’s for the people who live in these neighborhoods surrounding the stadium 365 days a year.

“Even folks who were opposed to the stadium early on, they know it’s coming, so they want it to be successful,” D.C. Councilmember and Chair of the Transportation Committee Charles Allen said.

He says success means a smooth ride for fans and everyday residents.

“It’s not having tens of thousands of people driving cars here. It’s thinking about transportation. Get people on Metro,” Allen said.

“I can imagine there’s going to be a lot of cars and people trying to park, so being able to alleviate that is going to be a benefit to the community,” resident Olo Olakanmi told FOX 5.

Big picture view:

The D.C. Council hearing saw representatives from the D.C. Department of Transportation, WMATA, and the Commanders, as well as ANC commissioners in neighboring communities.

Allen emphasized that this is more than just a stadium — they’re also planning 6,000 to 8,000 new homes, 20,000 people living in a brand-new neighborhood.

As of now, there are two parking garages planned for the Commanders Stadium, expected to hold about 6,000 vehicles. But when it comes to transit, there are several possibilities at play.

Dig deeper:

Metro would need major upgrades to use the Stadium Armory stop — likely including adding an entrance, elevator, and expanding the mezzanine.

A new Metro stop could end up costing hundreds of millions of dollars and take years to build.

WMATA is getting $2 million from the District for planning. General Manager Randy Clarke said that the goal is to have 40% of game day traffic come from public transit.

But that could also include bus rapid transit lines moving people from Union Station to the stadium along the H Street corridor.

“I have confidence we’re all going to work together, and everyone has the same goal here — to make this the best possible urban sports facility and mixed-use development in the country,” Clarke said.

The plan right now is to have shovels in the ground by March 2027 and construction complete by May 2030.

“We want to make this the most transit-friendly stadium but also make sure all modes of transportation are optimized for folks to get there,” DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum said.

So, a lot of these transit decisions need to be made fairly quickly.

Commanders Select Architect For New 65,000-Seat D.C. Stadium

The global architecture firm behind the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium has been tapped to design the new home of their fiercest rival.

The Washington Commanders selected HKS as the lead architect for the 65,000-seat stadium on the site of the former RFK Stadium, the team announced Thursday morning. The stadium is expected to start vertical construction in 2027 and open in 2030.

An early conceptual rendering of the Washington Commanders’ planned 65,000-seat, domed stadium.

The selection is the first major milestone for the project since it received final approval from the D.C. Council in September. The city agreed to fund $1.1B for infrastructure improvements to support the stadium, while the team has pledged $2.7B for the construction of the stadium and surrounding development.

The team had narrowed its search for an architect to two finalists that both previously designed NFL stadiums, HKS and HNTB, The Athletic reported in October.

HKS designed SoFi Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, which opened in 2020, as well as the Minnesota Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium that opened in 2016 and the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium that opened in 2009.

“HKS has a proven track record of delivering world-class stadiums that balance design, functionality and community impact,” Commanders President Mark Clouse said in a statement, adding that the partnership’s vision is “to create a stadium that enhances the fan experience, strengthens our connection with the community, and sets a new standard for the future of sports and entertainment.”

Conceptual renderings show a glass roof to bring in light. This would better position the city to host the Super Bowl and allow it to hold concerts and other events in the winter. The team estimates it will host more than 200 events per year.

Before crafting its design, HKS said it plans to hold community meetings in coordination with District officials starting this month. HKS Global Venues Director Mark Williams said the design should celebrate “the pride and unmistakable energy of the nation’s capital.”

“We’re reimagining what home-field advantage means by channeling the rhythm and the roar that made RFK so special and carrying that spirit forward in a bold new way,” he said in a statement. “The site, set within the monumental fabric of Washington, D.C., is one of the most extraordinary in professional sports, and we are honored to help write the next chapter in its history.”

The RFK Stadium site is 2 miles due east of the Capitol, which itself is due east of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. The stadium where D.C.’s NFL franchise played from 1961 to 1996, before moving to Landover, Maryland, is now being demolished.

The stadium site spans 174 acres, and plans call for a commercial development district around the sporting venue. It is envisioned for up to 6,000 housing units, with 30% of them income-restricted, plus hotels, restaurants and retail. The project would also preserve the Fields at RFK recreational facilities on the site.

The land is owned by the federal government, and then-President Joe Biden transferred control to the District through a 99-year ground lease in early January. President Donald Trump threatened to derail the project, criticizing the team’s name change. This weekend, Trump attended the Commanders’ home game against the Lions, and ESPN reported he has expressed a desire to the team’s ownership to have the stadium named after him.

Two Architecture Firms Reportedly In Running To Design Washington Commanders Stadium

The chance to design the Washington Commanders’ highly anticipated new stadium has reportedly narrowed to two powerhouse firms.

Proposed Development of future Washington Commanders stadium

The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala reported on Tuesday that HKS and HNTB are the two architects in the running to design the stadium.

Both firms bring impressive credentials to the table. HKS is best known for creating some of the NFL’s most iconic modern venues, including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. HNTB, meanwhile, has left its mark on the league with Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and more recently designed the Commanders’ upgraded locker room in Ashburn.