BIG to design new Oakland ballpark
Oakland Athletics baseball team has commissioned Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), to lead the design process for its new ballpark and surrounding development in California.
BIG will work in collaboration on the project with James Corner Field Operations, the landscape architect for the project, and Gensler.
The new stadium will replace the Oakland A’s existing 51-year-old Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, which the A’s share with NFL team the Oakland Raiders.
The decision comes after months of speculation over the team’s future in Oakland, as the Raiders agreed on a deal in order to build a new $1.8bn (€1.5bn, £1.4bn) stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, designed by Manica Architecture.
Plans have been proposed over the last 18 months for the baseball team’s future home, including purchasing the Coliseum site outright from the City of Oakland.
Designs for the BIG-led proposal have not been released, though Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval has stated that the new stadium will be privately financed and will open in time for the 2021–2022 season.
Bjarke Ingels, founding partner, BIG said: “We envision a stadium district that will be active and inviting 365 days a year for athletes, fans and Oaklanders alike.”
Bjarke Ingels Group BIG California Oakland Athletics Gensler James Corner Field Operations USA