Design Touchdown
The best stadium view in town & plush touches: New University of Houstonfootball home wows
The University of Houston Athletics Department has revealed updated renderingsof the replacement stadium.Fox 26 Houston/Facebook
Now that the demolition of the historic Robertson Stadium has begun, the University of Houston is looking to the future: The most complete renderings of the state-of-the-art replacement stadium have been revealed.
The corrugated metal exterior is similar to the parking garage recently completed along Holman Street and Cullen Boulevard, but perhaps the most striking feature of the design — realized by project architects PageSoutherlandPage and DLR Group — is the cut-out on the northwest corner of the 40,000-seat, continuous-bowl stadium. It will frame the downtown Houston skyline, allowing well-positioned students and television spectators premium views both day and night.
This East-West orientation is also allegedly optimal to increase airflow throughout the concourse — which has a largely uninterrupted view of the field — while protecting players and fans from the elements.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the design is the cut-out on the northwest corner of the 40,000-seat, continuous-bowl stadium.
Other features of the new playing field include state-of-the-art synthetic turf, a 12,400-square-foot club, four open-air party decks and two open-air party suites, 26 suites above the club level, 34 loge boxes on the concourse level and myriad other premium seating options, plus the ability to increase capacity to 60,000 seats in the future.
But even those who don't score a cushy seat are sure to appreciate the 160 concession points of sale and the giant HD LED video board on the stadium's West end.
Also included in the stadium construction is the Bert F. Winston Band and Performance Center, with recital halls, classroom spaces, a multi-purpose gallery area (which will serve as a tribute UH history) and the Houston athletics ticket office.
The stadium is slated to open in Aug. 2014, and those interested can keep up with construction status, quick facts, web cam images and more on a newly-dedicated website.
