They say everything is bigger in Texas, but the state’s newest sports arena is going to be really BIG. Bjarke Ingels Group just unveiled plans for the new East Austin District, a solar-powered sports and entertainment center that will include the city’s first pro sports stadium and large-scale music arena. The modern complex will be topped with a series of red photovoltaic roofs in a checkerboard layout.

The massive 1.3 million-square-foot complex will be located east of downtown Austin, at the current site of Rodeo Austin. Once complete, the space will host various sporting and musical events at the 40,000-seat pro-sports stadium and 15,000-seat arena. Additionally on site will be work spaces, youth centers, medical facilities, convention space and an abundance of hospitality amenities across the entire campus.

The general design of the buildings is inspired by local cultural roots of Texas and Austin. Using a Jefferson Grid-style approach, the individual buildings will be arranged in a checkerboard layout, creating latticed rooftop appearance from above. Each individual roof will designate distinct functions of the space below. The rooftop will be equipped with red photovoltaic panels to provide clean energy to the complex and potentially provide energy to the city of Austin as well.

BIG, who will be working in collaboration with Austin-based architects STG Design, designed the complex to be a vibrant modern space that blends into the city’s unique urban character, “Like a collective campus rather than a monolithic stadium, the East Austin District unifies all the elements of rodeo and soccer into a village of courtyards and canopies. Embracing Austin’s local character and culture, the East Austin District is a single destination composed of many smaller structures under one roof. Part architecture, part urbanism, part landscape – the East Austin District is the architectural manifestation of collective intimacy – a complex capable of making tens of thousands of fans come together and enjoy the best Austin has to offer inside and between its buildings.” explains Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner, BIG.

Article from inhabitat.com

by Nicole Jewell