The First Public Event at the New Vikings Stadium is Tomorrow

[sutomcat]

It will be a soccer game. If rumors and reports are correct, some of the elements of this stadium will be used in the renovated Carrier Dome.

Interesting that the Vikings wanted to cut $800K from the cost for the stadium by dropping part of the ETFE wall. The construction company told them 'no', and won that battle.

Minnesota Vikings’ new stadium built for ‘generations to come’ (globeandmail.com; Krawczynski)

At the top of the Vikings’ shiny, new $1.1-billion (U.S.) football palace, there is a ring of glass separating the seating bowl from the roof that the team and the stadium designers call the “clear story.”

At night, when U.S. Bank Stadium is lit up, the clear story gives the visual impression that the roof is floating. And on sunny mornings, the large windows allow sunlight to flow in from the east, bathing the seats on the other side of the stadium in a yellow glow.

The clear story is one of the many calling cards for architects of the stadium – and one that almost didn’t make the cut: With the cost of the project rising, Mortenson Construction told the Vikings that eliminating that particular feature would save the team $800,000.

“At the time we were over a perceived budget. They said, ‘Well, we’d like to accept that,’” said John Hutchings, sports principal-in-charge at HKS Sports and Entertainment.

“We said, ‘Over our dead body’ … It was a decision that we fought hard to keep. We didn’t win all of them, but that was one that was pretty important for the overall look of the stadium.”

 

[mountaincuse]

It's nice when architects are able to win design versus money battles at times.

It would also be nice if editors existed - it's a clerestory (or clearstory, but still one freaking word).

Walked around the stadium a few weeks ago, pretty sweet place.

 

[texascpa]

It's nice when architects are able to win design versus money battles at times.

It would also be nice if editors existed - it's a clerestory (or clearstory, but still one freaking word).

Walked around the stadium a few weeks ago, pretty sweet place.

Don't fool yourself, money was involved as well. Otherwise, they'd just do it for free. But, in principal, from the sound of the "clear story", it sounds like a very cool feature. Glad it stayed.

 

[mountaincuse]

Don't fool yourself, money was involved as well. Otherwise, they'd just do it for free. But, in principal, from the sound of the "clear story", it sounds like a very cool feature. Glad it stayed.

Don't think the designer made any more money in this case - a job that large wouldn't be tied to a percentage of construction cost for an architect. Even on the contracting side, 10% OH&P of that is peanuts in terms of the whole building.

Just good design trumping cost for once!

 

[tipphill]

It's nice when architects are able to win design versus money battles at times.

It would also be nice if editors existed - it's a clerestory (or clearstory, but still one freaking word).

Walked around the stadium a few weeks ago, pretty sweet place.

i am not sure what your avatar is, but it makes me smile when i see it.

 

[Pyle]

Looks like Grimace took a giant diarrhea dump all over the place.

Down with the PVB. Go Lions.

 

[GoSU96]

Do it right SU.

Stadium passes its first test. But unknowns (and Packers) still ahead

 

[sutomcat]

Word.

It would appear that the roof of our facility will be further from the field than the existing roof, perhaps considerably further. But it will be a hard surface. Hope these offset each other so the Dome remains the loudest college football facility ever built.

Woot!

 

[007]

Word.

It would appear that the roof of our facility will be further from the field than the existing roof, perhaps considerably further. But it will be a hard surface. Hope these offset each other so the Dome remains the loudest college football facility ever built.

Woot!

I couldn't agree more with your point about the loudness factor - it might be THE single most important advantage of playing in the Dome.

I think it's equally important to have a visually "iconic" facility unique to college arenas. Hoping they go BIG with the ETFE and LED lighting.

I have no idea how much of this is possible with $200 million budget...

 

[ArchDuke]

Do it right SU.

Stadium passes its first test. But unknowns (and Packers) still ahead

That is just beautiful! I'll eventually fly out to a game there just to experience that stadium. Thanks for posting those photos, GO. Just looks incredible at night. I'm also really hoping SU makes the most of the ETFE and LED's.