We recently had an opportunity to
chat with Mark Williams, Principal at HKS Architects, the designer of the New Mosaic Stadium.
Below are excerpts from our interview with Mark Williams.
Mark can you tell us what types of sports projects HKS has worked on?
We have recently worked on the Dallas Cowboys new stadium, the Indianapolis Colts stadium and are currently working on the New Minnesota Vikings new stadium.
How long have you been working on the new Mosaic Stadium project?
I first came to Saskatchewan five years ago and attended a Rider game and came away realizing there was something very special here and gained a great appreciation for the fan base, the city and province. We have been working on the design for this project for over a year. We have fully embraced the challenge of bringing the energy and excitement of Rider Nation into a new design that will be the greatest stadium in the Canadian Football League.
Can you tell us about your relationship with PCL?
We have had an incredible relationship with PCL. Having a partner with the expertise that PCL has is an incredible benefit. They have built some of the most incredible buildings, all over the world. These are very difficult projects so having a partner like PCL is a terrific advantage.
This stadium has been referred to as an “iconic stadium”, can you elaborate on that?
Many stadiums have a similar look and feel but when people see images of this stadium, they will know this is Mosaic Stadium, home of the Roughriders in Regina, Saskatchewan. It is a very unique design. It not only looks iconic but delivers an incredible fan experience.
Can you tell us more about stadium access and what is unique with the new Mosaic Stadium?
We have designed the stadium to provide 360 degree access and the entry points are at grade which means we have lowered the majority of the seating area into the ground. The benefit of that is that 68% of fans will be walking into the stadium and then going down to their seats instead of up. This also means that the height of the stadium will be lower.
How did the climate impact the design?
The climate was one of the biggest design drivers on this project. We took into account wind, snow and sun. We then sculpted the design to reduce the impact of extreme climate conditions.
What are some of the differences that fans will notice?
The first thing they will notice is the added room, additional amenities and ease of access. The seats are individual and wider, there will be more concessions and obviously more modern washrooms and easy access to those concessions and washrooms.
Mosaic Stadium will include a General Admission Lounge, can you tell us about that?
You don’t frequently see a lounge like this in stadiums for general admission ticket holders. The Roughriders wanted to ensure that their ticket holders had access to premium areas. This is a comfortable lounge with great food, drink and washroom amenities for everyone. It’s a great space for fans to hang out in prior to or during the game and its located directly behind the general admission seating on the west side with easy access to the park.
What is the capacity of the New Mosaic Stadium?
We designed the seating bowl to meet a capacity of 33,000 spectators but design allows for flexibility to increase the seating capacity to over 40,000 for events such as the Grey Cup. The south end zone is specifically designed to provide flexibility to increase capacity as desired. We have also created multiple configurations for smaller events such as concerts that might bring in smaller crowds.
What types of premium seating areas have you included?
Mosaic Stadium will include 38 luxury suites for Rider Corporate partners. It will also include an expanded Club Suite area and a premium Club Lounge. We also have a popular new offering that is most often referred to as Loge Seating. Loge seating is exterior seating with a private premium space configuration for parties of 4-8.
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). Saputo is not bad but can't be configured for CFL. 
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