Play Ball! (in two years)
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The design for new Nationals ballpark on South Capitol Street was released this morning at 11:00. Click the images at right to enlarge, or visit the Post for an article and detailed descriptions.
What BeyondDC likes:
The pedestrian promenade reminiscent of Eutaw Street
The light color palette, including the use of glass
The break in the stands and steps leading to the Anacostia River
The architectural homage to the East Wing of the National Gallery
The building wall on South Capitol Street
Views of both the Capitol dome and the Anacostia River
Architects say they are looking for a way to make the bleachers bounce, as they do at RFK
What BeyondDC doesn’t like:
The base is far too bare – it will be hostile to pedestrians
The mistaken impression that most visitors will arrive from the south, using the expansive plaza – most will arrive from the transit and parking facilities to the north
The insular feeling – rather than designing a quirky stadium genuinely connected to its surroundings, we’ve been given a typical bowl stadium with some tacked-on additions intended to give the impression of connectivity (viewing platforms do not a seemless character make)
The circular restaurant is a neat idea, but it contributes to the insular feeling – it would be better to have an unobstructed view of that pedestrian promenade
The use of precast concrete instead of limestone or granite – though we understand the economic constraints that led to the decision
The homogenous character of the South Capitol Street building wall – not including the air-rights development, there are three distinct components; they should look distinct
What BeyondDC would have done differently:
(In addition to fixing what we don’t like)
The stadium needs more vertical façade elements throughout
The “knife edge” building at South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue is OK, but BeyondDC would have included a vertical element at the very edge – a landmark tower that would be visible from miles away
The pedestrian promenade should be an actual street, like Eutaw – making it so would have the added benefit of pushing the rest of the stadium south, which would force it to change shape to fit the block, rather than being a simple bowl; it would also add space between the field and air-rights development, improving views northward towards the city
As a whole, BeyondDC finds the ballpark to be fairly ordinary. We’re pleased the color palette will be unique to the major leagues, but the overall site planning and layout are very average. Attractive? Yes. Revolutionary? No. Iconic? Passably, we suppose. What do you think?
Update: More renderings are available at the DC Sports & Entertainment Commission and Just A Nats Fan.
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March 14th, 2006 | Permalink
Tags: architecture, development
