Populous completes Buffalo Bills stadium in New York
Architecture studio Populous has completed the steep, metal-clad Highmark Stadium in Buffalo, New York for NFL team the Buffalo Bills, with a canopy and advanced snow-melt system.
The new Highmark Stadium replaces a structure of the same name that is located just across the street in Orchard Park, Buffalo. It opened for the season this past weekend for a training event attended by the team and fans.
The design of the stadium, which features an open-air bowl covered slightly by a steel canopy, is intended to enhance noise within the interior and also protect fans from the city's 95 inches of annual snowfall and other inclement weather.
The majority of the exterior is wrapped in grey semi-translucent perforated metal panels, which wrap an inner 360-degree colonnade populated with concessions.
A dark grey brick features at the structure's base, and the Highmark wordmark features on each aspect.
Inside, the stadium seating is steeper than its predecessor and was designed to bring fans closer to the field.
The canopy itself dips downwards along the stadium's side and rises towards the middle. The roof is outfitted with an extensive hydronic snow-melt system, which will help melt and irrigate snowfall to protect the events below.
Overall, according to the studio, the design was informed by the historic architecture of Buffalo, such as the Rockpile, the city's former outdoor soccer stadium.
Its towering stainless steel buffalo sculptures were created by artist Blessing Hancock.
The stadium took three years to construct.
Upon its recent opening, some fans took issue with obstructed views at their seats, according to reports.
Populous global director and managing director Jonathan Mallie told local outlet the Buffalo News the obstructed views are a result of creating a higher stacked stadium that would bring fans closer to the field.
"You will find some level of obstruction in every stadium in the world," said Mallie.
"The goal was to bring everybody closer to the field and create an upper deck with an incredible proximity and presence within the bowl to help create a next-level experience for Bills Mafia."
Further images are forthcoming.
Dezeen recently explored the future of stadium design in its Future Stadium series, including why stadium architecture is getting more outlandish and what they may look like in decades to come, according to nine architects.
The images are by Tim McManus, courtesy of Populous.
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