Evolution of stadium design/

Abstract

Stadiums are more than just facilities for organized sport; they offer a gathering site for people with shared interest, provide economic benefits to the surrounding community, and most importantly represent the advancements in architecture and engineering. When stadiums were first developed, their main focus was to provide enclosure for athletes' play and little attention was given to spectators. Most Greek and Roman athletic facilities are guilty of this. While the general geometry of stadiums remains the same today, the structure itself has changed tremendously. As this thesis will point out, there is a multitude of structural systems that have been employed in the design of stadiums. As very big structures attracting a lot of attention, stadiums require good architecture. Designers have not been shy about attacking this problem head on resulting in an abundance of spectacularly designed and built stadiums, many with their own unique features. After introducing significant design constraints and possible design solutions, this thesis will present a handful of case studies. Stadiums from across America and Europe will be discussed in varying detail in the hopes of opening the reader's eyes to the advancements in stadium design. Upon reading this thesis, readers should gain knowledge on the growth of stadium development and hopefully an understanding of where stadium design will go in the future.