the geometry of architecture - tulane university

The Geometry of Architecture:Using Topological Surfaces to Design a Soccer Stadium in

Downtown New Orleans

A Thesis by Kyle Novak with Academic Supervision by Professor Ammar Eloueini, Tulane 2016 - 2017

DSGN 6110 -- Kyle Novak -- Prof Eloueini -- May 12, 2017

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Table of Contents

I. Statement & Abstract.............3II. Essay.........................................4III. Annotated Bibliography......13IV. Case Studies & Analysis.......19V. Program..................................26VI. Site Selection & Analysis......30


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Statement and Abstract

Thesis Statement:

Modern Topology can be used to simplify programmatically complex ar-chitecture.

Abstract:

Navigating an airport would be nearly impossible without proper signage. The number of gates, the different zones of access, the layers of conveyor belts running through the floors all provide a challenge for the architect designing the airport, even before the signs are sketched out. Projects such as airports or sporting arenas provide an extreme challenge in programmatic proximities for any designer working to make a building’s circulation flow.

Topology is a branch of mathematics focusing on the geometry of posi-tion and connection. By using it in architecture, program connections can be simplified and made into diagrams of edges and nodes. By taking out scale and shape, the problem is made only about connection and proximity.

Applying this topological method to a professional soccer stadium in New Orleans puts the process to the test. The complexities of the public and service areas and how they interact creates a need for simplification, otherwise the building will exceed any manageable construction scale.


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Mathematical Topology

A brief history of topology begins with Leonhard Euler and the enormous strides he made in the 18th century in the field of math-ematics. Topology is often called the “rub-ber-sheet geometry” because it studies the way surfaces change and conform based on bending and stretching, regardless of the rigid rules of angles and planes typical in geome-try. David Richeson states in the preface to his book Euler’s Gem, “If geometry is dressed in a suit coat, topology dons jeans and a T-shirt.”

Euler’s actual discovery of topology began with a simple puzzle called the Koe-nigsberg Bridges and the application of graph theory. Koenigsberg lies in what is now mod-ern-day Germany. It was a region connect-ed by seven bridges with a small island in the center. Residents of Koenigsberg proposed the problem of finding a way to visit every piece of the city, but only by crossing each bridge once. Euler took the long unsolved puzzle and broke it down into a simple graph containing vertices or nodes and edges or lines. By way of simplifying the problem, Euler showed that the locations of the points don’t actually matter, but instead the connections reveal the solution. In turn, this is how he dis-covered the solution to the problem is that it is actually impossible.

7 Bridges of Koenigsberg - inverse.com

Euler’s Koenigsberg Graph - chris-martin.org

There’s a theory that the universe if forever folding back and over on itself like a cross between a Mobius curve and a

wave. If we catch that wave, it will be quite a ride.

- Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda


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Euler’s discovery of this graph theory gave the principle of connection, which in turn created the foundation of topology. The relationships of vertices, edges, and planes of a surface are what define it and its capa-bilities of transformation. This idea blossomed into an entire field of mathematics that ideal-izes form and path, much in the way architec-ture does.

One subset of topology studies what is called the orientable nature of surfaces and their boundaries. Orientable surfaces, like cylinders, are those which can follow a direc-tion across and around a shape and return to the origin without altering position. The Mobi-us Strip is a non-orientable surface because the twist in its form mirrors the position of any-thing following its surface. Therefore unlike the cylinder, which has two faces and two edges, at its top and bottom, the Mobius strip only has one continuous face and one edge.

The Mobius Strip was discovered simul-taneously and independently by two men, Johann Listing and August Mobius in 1858. Although Listing published it immediately, Mobius gained the namesake posthumously because of his greater achievements in the mathematical field and some personal scan-dal of Listing tarnishing his name.

Mobius created the simple form by cut-ting a rectangular strip of paper, giving one end a 180 degree twist, and then attaching the ends in their new orientation. He delved into the form and its possibilities and discov-ered that so long as the paper received an odd number of half twists, it would be non-ori-entable. This means that although it appears to have both an interior and an exterior, if one attempted to paint both sides of the surface, there would be a collision of color.

Non-orientable Mobius Strip - Euler’s Gem

Painting the Strip - Clifford Pickover

Ubiquitous Recycling Symbol - cityofmonroe.org


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The simplicity of the Mobius form has fascinated recreational and professional mathematicians for decades. Artists use its infinite nature to create sculpture. Even pat-ents for games and machinery have utilized its principles. Its form has been so widely used, our society sees it every day in the graphic symbol for recycling, designed in the 1970s.

The finite infinity of following the surface of the Mobius strip inspired several other itera-tions of its principles. The Klein bottle, or Klein flasche as it was originally called, was discov-ered by Felix Klein in 1882. It is also a non-ori-entable surface with only one continuous face, but interestingly, it has no boundary like the Mobius strip. One could follow its shape in and around and through forever without every coming to an edge. The Klein bottle is actually two Mobius strips connected along their edge, ridding it of its boundary and cre-ating a “spatial continuum of change.”

Klein Bottle - by author


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Delivery AccessLoading DocksFood Prep AreasMechanical EquipmentElectronics Control RoomSecurity StationsElectronic Repair RoomFood StoragePress BoxesCamera Equipment RoomField Maintenance StorageUniform/Equipment Storage

Topology in Architecture

It is often said that Architects’ jobs are to fix the problems they create for them-selves. In cases of complex programs, such as airports or sporting arenas, another level of problem solving is required. Circulation paths must intertwine yet not meet. Programmatic elements must be parallel but imperceptible to each other. Visitors and employees must coexist but maintain a level of separation.

Take a professional soccer arena, for ex-ample. Components of the program include:

Locker RoomsCoaches’ OfficesTraining/Weight RoomsSports Medicine FacilitiesFilm-viewing RoomsPlayers’ LoungeLaundry FacilitiesEquipment Storage Administrative OfficesShowersFacility StorageWaste Removal

And these are only the areas of the arena inaccessible to the public.

It is my intention, through the methods and theorems of ge-ometry herein laid down, to contribute in some measure to

the simplification of its investigations and the broadening of its horizons.

- August Mobius’ The Barycentric Calculus

Stadium Plans - by author

Edges and Nodes of a Stadium - by author


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The complexities of these buildings cre-ate the need for a vast array of networks and connections, seemingly jumbling the space with hallways and circulation paths. This is where topology enters.

Originally name “analysis situs” by Gottfried Leibniz in 1679 for the Greek mean-ing “situation” or positional analysis, topology describes the geometry of space. Just as Euler broke down the Koenigsberg bridge problem into a diagram of nodes and edges, complex architectural programs should be simplified to a program of position and con-nection paths. Topology is capable of taking a complex problem, full of numerous compo-nents and entities, and reshaping it, so that it retains all of its elements, but the solution is simplified and made clearer.

This method applied to architecture develops a design process that stems direct-ly from the topological diagram; a building constructed from connection. While the design of the building adapts to its site and the restrictions that come with any project, it is governed by proximities of program and their connections, with form and dimensions sec-ondary.

Taking topology even a step further are the Mobius Strip and the Klein Bottle. Both sur-faces are non-orientable and finitely infinite. The Mobius Strip brings a two-dimensional surface into the three-dimensional world, giving it a single, continuous edge and face that allow for infinite travel. The Klein Bottle is a three-dimensional object that translates best in the fourth dimension, where it need not intersect itself to create its surface. The Klein Bottle somehow has neither an interior nor an exterior, yet it is a closed, infinite surface.


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Translating these surfaces into archi-tecture should not be a stretch of the imagi-nation. Just as a human’s perception of the Earth’s surface is that it is flat when they are standing upon it, the perception of a sur-face’s directionality and form is only accessi-ble when removed from it, either by leaving it entirely or from a higher dimension.


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Mobiusberg

Edwin Abbott’s story Flatland: A Ro-mance of Many Dimensions tells the tale of a fictional character who inhabits a two-dimen-sional world. Everything he can perceive is along the surface of his land, moving linearly and laterally. Everyone he meets in Flatland is two-dimensional, like him, so if they need cross paths, they only have the option to move in two directions, instead of our three.

Now imagine that Abbott’s character unwittingly crosses into a land that is a Mobius Strip. In his 2D world, the scenery would not have changed at all. He still follows the path in front of him, moving linearly to avoid colli-sions with others. But along the way the char-acter comes to realize that he has somehow returned to the crossing of Flatland and this new land, but things have changed.

The people he had been traveling with all appear the same, but he now runs into people walking the same direction, but they are flipped completely upside-down. It is as if they are magically capable of floating along on their heads.

I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself King ofinfinite space.

- William Shakespeare’s Hamlet


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The character is confused but keeps moving along his path, through the new land. Soon enough, he again reaches the Flatland border, but this time the people entering the new land for the first time are right side up, just like him. As he stops and waits though, the people he met his first time re-crossing this point return and are still upside-down. They keep moving, but the character stays. Even-tually these crazily flipped people somehow return to the spot once more, but finally they are right side up!

What this character is incapable of perceiving is that his two-dimensional surface is part of a three-dimensional world. What seems like an impossible event, moving in one direction and returning to a point on a flat plane, is only made stranger by the inverting of his counterparts. This is where the secret of the 3D space lies. His Flatland is actually con-nected to a loop. On the surface, it is indistin-guishable, but when capable of viewing from off of the surface, as an astronaut sees the earth from space, the form is perceived.

The idea of form realization in higher dimension is how to achieve the simplicity of topology in complex architecture. One must achieve the imperceptions of spatial qualities so as to deceive its inhabitants along their circulation paths. If one were able to com-bine all of the various programmatic compo-nents of a soccer arena listed earlier in such a way that the public could be directly next to them and not realize it, the problem would be solved.


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The spatial connection of integral ele-ments without regard to scale or shape be-comes the focus of this architectural process. The ability to recognize this connection and circulation as a whole throughout the space becomes the intent of the architect. In turn, the architect then strives to disguise this in-tent from the inhabitants. Combining Euler’s method of simplifying a problem into a system of edges and modes with Mobius and Klein’s surfaces brings complex programs in architec-ture into a manageable realm.


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Stadium in Situs

Applying topological ideas to the de-sign of a soccer stadium starts with a foun-dation of connection. By creating a ring of circulation around the outer edge of the stadium and overlapping pathways to each level, access points to each programmatic element of the building are within one single system.

Branching off of the inner program of the project, a secondary soccer field, open to the river, allowed for public access and use during non-game day hours. By replicat-ing the form of the stadium in the pathways and creating the connections or edges from each element, the topological ideals were preserved. Connecting them all with the inner circulation solidified the entire system into one continuous whole.

Bringing in the characteristics of the Mo-bius Strip and Klein Bottle to an architectural project is not a simple task. Because both are surfaces not fully realized in their dimensions, their qualities are not physically possible to exist in the 3-dimensional architectural world. Therefore, the ideas and characteristics must be idealized and replicated in an implied way.

Everyone knows what a curve is, until he has studied enough mathematics to become confused through the countless

number of possible exceptions.

- Felix Klein


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50’

40’

10’

10’

10’10’

20’

20’

20’20’

30’

30’

30’

30’

30’

30’

30’

30’

20’

20’

20’

20’

10’ 10’

10’10’

200’

180’

200’ 200’ 200’ 200’

40’ - Elevation Relating to

Crescent Park Bridge

Transition Point to Roof Elevation Height

Merging of Two Structural Systems

Edge of Seating

20’ - Elev. for Train Clearance and Views

Length Determined by Prior Angle and Overhang Requirement

109’

71’

0’

180’

Angle of Rotation Calculated from

Ramp Height Need

In the formal qualities of the structure, the Mobius strip was the inspiration. Beginning with the walkway structure along the Mississip-pi River, the arms of the outer skin twist as they wrap around the building, rotating with the curves.

The idea that even though the Mobius strip is a surface, it only has one side and one edge, brings the quality of inside-out and out-side-in to the experience. Say a visitor makes their way from the ground up to the platform of the river walkway. Were they to continue up, they would enter the stadium at the main public level. What they would witness though is the walkway being absorbed by the stadi-um facade. Eventually, were they to follow its path, the facade would transform into the roof, covering the stands. And in the final form, the roof would curve inward to emulate the transition into the seats.

Even though the visitor entered at the main level, their path’s trajectory continued on and in the end returned to them.


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Further idealizing the Mobius strip gave the opportunity for a system in which it is uni-fied but separate simultaneously. If one were to follow the path of the surface, one would find that the Mobius strip is non-orientable. Within the stadium, the circulation ramps reach a point at the main level where they flip from public to service and vice-versa.

Although the ramps’ directions do not alter or appear to change in any way, the usage of them shifts completely. Moving from the ground floor, up, the concessions worker and maintenance crews have their own pri-vate network of ramps and pathways. Once they ascend to the main level, the ramps they used before transition into the public walk-ways. What remains at this level though is a secondary network along the very outer edge of the circulation ring. It creates a way for the workers to remain on the same literal plane as the visitors, but there is a separation so as to create a distance between the occupants of the stadium.


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Annotated Bibliography


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Bourgin, D. G. Modern Algebraic Topology. New York: Macmillan, 1963. Print.

This mathematical text covers a wide variety of subtopics in the field of Modern Algebraic Topology. Specific to this thesis is the section on Homology Groups. The text discusses the non-orientability of Mobius ge-ometry and the matrices breaking down their principles.

Burry, Jane, and Mark Burry. The New Mathematics of Architecture. London: Thames & Hudson, 2010. Print.

A detailed compilation of Architectural projects which have mathematical intentions within their designs. Covering such mathe-matical areas as Chaos theory and Topolo-gy, Jane and Mark Burry provide an in-depth study of each project and its process, subdi-viding them into categories based on their field of research.

College and University Facilities Guide for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics. Chicago: Athletic Institute, 1968. Print.

An in-depth guide for the planning and design of university sporting facilities. The guide breaks down the different scenarios of athletic events on a college campus, includ-ing intramural, club sports, and varsity pro-grams.


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Fauvel, John, Raymond Flood, and Robin J. Wilson. Moebius and His Band: Mathematics and Astronomy in Nineteenth-century Germany. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993. Print.

Composed of six essays by different authors, this book is a historical look at the life of August Ferdinand Moebius, his entire body of work, the historical context of the time sur-rounding his lifespan, and how his work influ-enced mathematicians in the future.

Flynn, Richard B., ed. Planning Facilities for Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation. North Palm Beach, FL: Athletic Institute, 1985. Print.

An updated guide to planning sporting facilities, revised in 1985. It covers not only col-lege campuses, but grades K-12 as well. The guide goes into code requirements by state and breaks down each category of planning by size, proximities, and general advice.

Griffiths, H. B. Surfaces. London: Cambridge UP, 1976. Print.

A thorough study of the mathematical principles of surfaces, including their history, theorems relating to them, and possibilities for further study. Griffiths attempts to do what many higher level mathematicians are inca-pable of doing: making math accessible to everyone.


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Krauel, Jacobo, and Amber Ockrassa. Experimental Architecture: Houses. NewYork: Universe, 2004. Print.

Residences that stray from the norm, ei-ther in their aesthetic or their layout, are listed in this book. Homes were designed either with an interesting principle as the basis, such as UNStudio’s Mobius House, or the client’s life-style inspired the diversity of the form.

Pickover, Clifford A. The Moebius Strip: Dr. August Moebius’s Marvelous Band in Mathematics, Games, Literature, Art, Technology, and Cosmology. New York:Thunder’s Mouth, 2006. Print.

Pickover artfully covers August Mobius’ life, death, and all the contributions he made throughout his life to mathematics and astron-omy. He then goes even further to show all of the aspects of the modern world effected by Mobius’ discovery of the Mobius Strip; includ-ing magic, machinery patents, and children’s games.

Poincare, Henri. Papers on Topology: Analysis Situs and Its Five Supplements. Trans. John Stillwell. Providence: American Mathematical Society, 2010. Print.

Henri Poincare is known as the founder of modern topology. His Papers on Topology offer an explanation to the majority of the principles that make up the basis to topology as it is seen today. He also covers Euler’s dis-coveries in graph theory and how they influ-enced his findings.


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Richeson, David S. Euler’s Gem: The Polyhe-dron Formula and the Birth of Topology. Princ-eton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2008. Print.

Richeson begins with the foundation of topology and maneuvers through scientific and mathematical history, explaining its oc-currences. He then covers modern topology as it has grown into the field it is today, and how to move forward with its study.


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Case Studies


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Klein Bottle HouseMcBride Charles Ryan Architects

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia2008

The Klein Flasche or surface is a non-ori-entable, continuous surface that intersects itself when transformed into three dimensions. This mathematical idea was not actually the original inspiration for this single-family home.

Originally a spiral shape, the form of this project took on its real distinct qualities when the architects realized their creation’s resem-blance to the mathematical shape. Once this revelation was made, they studied the form and its innate qualities and based the major thematic design decisions off of them.

Spatially, the architects utilized the lack of distinction between the internal and the external to create a new type of fhome fo-cused around a central area. The beginning and the end of the form morphed together, with an openness in between. Distorting the known form of the mathematical ideal opens the opportunity to create spatial form, not rigid to the principle, but inspired by it. Ac-cording to one of the architects, “Topologi-cally defined forms like the Klein surface can be infinitely distorted to suit topography and program, creating a new model and opening up a whole new area of architectural explora-tion.”

Top: archdaily.comMiddle: by author

Bottom: archdaily.com


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Mobius BridgeHakes AssociatesBristol, UK2005

Inspired by the non-orientable surface known as the Mobius Strip, this pedestrian bridge takes the mathematical principle to el-egant heights with its application. The curves appear to be almost floating on the Avon River, and use the crossing of the form as a unique connection for foot traffic.

Using paper models to refine the exact shape, the architects created a bridge that is in continuous tension and torsion, increas-ing its stability and strength simply under the weight of gravity.

Right: The New Mathematics of ArchitectureBottom: museumofdesigninplastics.blogspot.com


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Mobius HouseUNStudio

Het Gooi, Netherlands1998

Navigating the work and living relation-ship within one space can be difficult, so to tackle it, UNStudio used the ideals of the Mo-bius Strip, for which this house is named. The architects focused on the passage of time in daily life, and how our space can flow with it.

The crossing, rising, and falling of the three-dimensional Mobius Strip worked seam-lessly with the way one moves through each day, with passage of waking, working, and liv-ing. Even further following the Mobius theme, the private components of the home follow along the single edge of the form.

Left: The New Mathematics of ArchitectureBottom: unstudio.com


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Beijing National Stadium (Bird’s Nest)Herzog & de MeuronBeijing, China2008

Designed for the 2008 Summer Olym-pics, the Beijing National Stadium was nick-named the “Bird’s Nest” in the early stages of the design process by the Chinese clients themselves, giving a meaningful ownership to the design. The nest-like webbing is actually huge structural members interlaced to create an enormous plinth for the games and spec-tators inside.

The structure appears tactile and lacy from a distance, but as you near closer, the columns and beams and girders all morph into monumental structures filling the space.

Top right: wikipedia.comMiddle: michaelcreasy.comBottom: archunderworld.tumblr


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Hong Kong StadiumHOK

Hong Kong, China1994

First opened in 1953 as the Government Stadium, the Hong Kong Stadium as it looks today was constructed in 1994. With a ca-pacity of 40,000 seats, spaced between exec-utive suites, lower, middle, and upper seating, and handicapable areas, the Stadium is used mainly for soccer and rugby events.

Originally, the Government Stadium was known for its clay running track around the field, but with the increase in capacity by 12,000 seats, the track was taken out.

Top: arcspace.comMiddle: wikipedia.comBottom: faelluce.com


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Oita Bank Dome (Big Eye)Kisho KurokawaOita, Japan2001

Originally 43,000 seats, after several matches of the 2002 FIFA World Cup were played in the stadium, 3,000 movable seats were removed to gain more space around the field. The stadium is nicknamed the Big Eye because of the appearance of its dome from the sky. When it is closing, it looks as if it is winking.

The roof is made of 25 percent light-per-meable teflon panels, so as not to require daylighting when closed.

Top: wikipedia.comMiddle: homesthetics.netBottom: wikimedia.org


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Program


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New Orleans Professional Soccer ArenaCapacity: 40,000 seats

New Orleans is known for its Saints foot-ball and now the Pelicans basketball, but soccer has yet to take hold of this city’s fans. We do actually have a team in the National Premier Soccer League called the New Orle-ans Jesters, but the field they play on does not have near the presence of the Superdome or the Smoothie King Center.

Since soccer does not have visible of a following in the public arena as football, it is difficult to distinguish exactly how many fans a stadium in New Orleans would gather. There-fore the programmatic capacity of this stadi-um is to be about half that of the Superdome, around 40,000 seats.

It would include executive suites, as all major stadiums do, for the premium seating and boxes. Concessions, restrooms, locker rooms, and facility areas would also be large portions of the program. The vast majority of the square footage would go toward the field itself and seating for the fans.

Basing dimensions off of case studies about the same capacity, this stadium would be about 550 feet in diameter. For reference, the Superdome is 680 feet. A secondary struc-ture would also be necessary to account for parking.

Image: nolajesters.com


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Overall ProgramSoccer Field (345’x223’) - 76,935 SFGeneral Seating - 30,000 capacityExecutive Suites - 10,000 capacity

Public Access(16) Concessions - 200 SF ea. - 3200 SF

(4) Ticket Booths - 200 SF ea. - 800 SF(8) Gift Shops - 600 SF ea. - 4800 SF

(4) Information Help Desks - 100 SF ea. - 400 SFLobby Space - Dependent on Design(4) First Aid Rooms - 150 SF ea. - 600 SF

Public Restrooms - Study Code Requirements

Audio-Visual(2) Press Boxes - 300 SF ea. - 600 SFElectronics Control Room - 600 SF

Lighting Control Room - 600 SF(4) Security Stations - 300 SF ea. - 1200 SF

Offices(20) Administrative Offices - 120 SF ea. - 2400 SF

Administrative Conference Room - 500 SF(4) Facilities Offices - 120 SF ea. - 600 SF

(6) Coaches’ Offices - 120 SF ea. - 720 SF

ServicesCentral Food Prep Kitchen - 3500 SF

Loading Docks/Delivery AccessWaste Removal/Management

Mechanical Equipment - Dependent on Design

StorageField Maintenance Storage

Stadium Cleaning Storage (Hoses/Water Pumps/Cleaners)Field Equipment Storage (Flags/Goals/Benches)

Player Equipment/Uniform StorageGift Shop Storage (Merchandise)

Camera/Electronic Equipment StorageFood Storage (Walk-in Freezers/Dry Goods)

Janitorial Storage Closets


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100’

35’

80’20’223’

345’

565’

540’

Player - Officiant - Coach Access(2) Locker Rooms - 20 SF/Person - 30 People ea. - 1200 SF(2) Players’ Lounge - 600 SF ea. - 1200 SF(2) Toweling Room - 200 SF ea. - 400 SF(2) Locker Room Lavatory Areas - 110 SF ea. - 220 SF(20) Player Showers - 2 Shower Rooms - 200 SF ea. - 400 SF(2) Players’ Lounge - 600 SF ea. - 1200 SFPlayer/Coaches Kitchen/Dining Space - 200 SFFilm-Viewing/Meeting Room - 400 SFTraining/Sports Medicine Area - 1500 SFWeight Room - 2500 SFLaundry Facilities - 200 SFOfficials Dressing Room/Lounge - 200 SFOfficials Restroom - 72 SFOfficials Locker Room - 6 Lockers - 120 SFOfficials Showers - 4 Shower Heads - 80 SF


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Site Selection


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CurrentPan AmStadium

Site 2

Site 1


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Site 1:Lower Garden District1,167,810 SF26.8 acres

Currently owned by the Convention Center, this area of land has been vacant for decades and sited for expansion of the Convention Center’s administrative offices. Propos-ing the placement of a Professional soccer stadium here would take advantage of the close proximity to the tourism centers of New Orleans, while at the same time being directly across the street from apartment housing.

The Superdome and Smoothie King Center have their niche in the CBD, but travel to and from those arenas can be a major hassle and create gridlock. This site is within reason-able walking distance from the St. Charles streetcar line, as well as being directly off the exit from the highway.

A 40,000 seat stadium would be about half the square footage of the Superdome, so this site is ideal in its size. One quarter of the site could be taken up by the stadium, and the rest could be devoted to parking, shops, or even a park with possible waterfront views.


37View Facing North

View Facing South

View Facing East

RESIDENTIAL

INDUSTRIALEMPTY SITE


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Site 1:Reinventing the Crescent:Urban Renewal Program

Several companies have been tasked with the design and planning of an entirely new New Orleans Waterfront. This proposed site is actually one such area for development. According to the phasing plan, the site will be used for Conven-tion Center excess Administrative Offices foreseen with its growth. It will contain a large central park and be covered in green roofs.

Images: RTC Development Plan


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1885

1895

1908

1937

HistoricSanborns


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Site 2:Earhart Blvd. - Marrero Commons873,820 SF20.1 acres

This site is currently home to empty concrete slab foundations and three abandoned buildings. Before Hurricane Katrina, project housing known as the B.W. Cooper was one of the most dangerous places in the city for gun violence and drugs. Before that, it was known as the Calliope, and before that it was the Silver City Dump. Home to many decades of Af-fordable housing, the city’s demolition and reconstruction of the new Marrero Commons left a large tract of the site empty, revealing what once was.

Close proximity to the rail and bus lines, as well as being right on the edge of the indus-trial and residential zones of the city makes this site ideal for access. Keeping a stadium just down the road from the Superdome and Smoothie King Center creates a destination area for sporting events in New Orleans, creating opportunity for sharing of resources.

The size and natural division of the site allows for the stadium to rest on one half, and parking or more event space on the other.


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1950 - The Calliope - nutrias.org

Timeline

2005 - B.W. Cooper - Christina Gomez-Mira

December 2007 - Robert Powers

2016 - Partially Marrero Commons

Present Day

the geometry of architecture - tulane university

Documents