LEVI’S Stadium

LEVI’S Stadium

HNTB

LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien
LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA

ARCHITECS
HNTB

ART CONSULTANT
Sports And The Arts

TURF CONSULTANT
Lloyd Consulting Group

LIGHTING DESIGNER
Wsp Group

CIVIL ENGINEER
Ghd

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Guztzardo Parnership Inc.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Magnusson Klemencic Associates

DESIGN BUILD CONTRACTOR
Tdjv (Turner Devcon Join Venture)

RESTAURANT KITCHEN CONSULTANT
Ssa

VERTICAL TRANSPORTATION
Persohn Hahn

A/V, BROADCAST, SECURITY ENGINEER
Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon And Williams Inc.

CODE & LIFE SAFETY CONSULTANTS
Fp&c Consultants Inc.

BRANDING & WAY FINDING SIGNAGE DESIGN
Infinite Scale

CURTAIN WALL CONSULTANT
Dvv Associates

RESTAURANT DESIGN CONSULTANT
Avroko

MUSEUM DESIGNER
C7a

SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING
Infinite Scale

BRANDING
Infinite Scale

SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING
Infinite Scale

DESIGN & BUILDING CONTRACTOR
Tdjv (Turner Devcon Join Venture)

MANUFACTURERS
Asc Steel, Atlas Schindler, Clark Pacific, Construction Specialties

PHOTOGRAPHS
Jim Simmons, Alise O’brien

YEAR
2014

LOCATION
Santa Clara, United States

CATEGORY
Stadium

LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien

Text description provided by architect.

The San Francisco 49ers’ new 69,000-seat stadium is a sports and entertainment destination that can accommodate a wide range of events such as the Super Bowl, Major League Soccer and concerts as well as meetings tied to the adjacent Santa Clara Convention Center.

The stadium design embraces a progressive approach to sustainable urban design. 

LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA
LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien

The stadium’s siting takes advantage of public transit access, an adjacent ACE Commuter Line station and relies on existing parking infrastructure to eliminate the expense of building these assets anew.

The narrow site allowed the design team to place the building front on the edge of the surrounding streets creating an urban arcade with retail and restaurant storefronts along it.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA
LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA

The arcade connects the Convention Center, two existing hotels and other civic buildings with the stadium and nearby residential neighborhoods.

In addition to the green roof, a geothermal energy saving system, a reclaimed water system and photovoltaics designed to make the stadium the first net zero stadium for electricity of any kind. It is the first NFL stadium to achieve LEED Gold Certification.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA
LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA

Architecturally, the stadium is inspired by the layout of a roman amphitheater with a five story tower containing suites, clubs, press box and an accessible green roof as the proscenium.

The tower is flanked by two large open plazas from where fans “climb” towards their seats with spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien
LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA

The main concourse is organized with concessions and restrooms at the center dividing it into two breezy spaces: one with views of the field and the other one with views of the hills.

Designed to take advantage of the subtropical Mediterranean climate there is almost no skin at all on the north, south and east elevations.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA
LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA

At night the frame almost disappears and the building is animated by people traversing the concourses, stairs and escalators.

The building’s architectural vocabulary is defined by the expression of its structure. White steel trusses, columns, cables, plates and braces create a light network that defines spaces, decks, stairs and ramps.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien
LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien

The innovative structure doubles the typical column bay spacing deploying thin cables in between that provide the necessary structural and seismic reinforcement.

The open floors make the surrounding hills and open skies participant in the experience and provide generous passageways.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA
LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA

This flexible kit of parts also allows the supporting systems to be laid out independently and to be updated as technologies evolve, a metaphor of the constant innovation represented by the Silicon Valley.

LEVI’S Stadium
© Jim SimmonsA
LEVI’S Stadium
© Alise O’Brien


LEVI’S Stadium
Diagram Elevation 1
LEVI’S Stadium
Diagram Elevation 2


LEVI’S Stadium
Site Plan 1
LEVI’S Stadium
Site Plan 2


LEVI’S Stadium
Diagram 1
LEVI’S Stadium
Diagram 2