Quote:
Originally Posted by Empire
Huskies stadium is almost the reverse of a sunken bowl. It is based on the concept of the main support structure being earthen material. The problem with Huskies stadium is that it is build above grade and disturbed soil is used at a structural base. The unstable nature of a built up bank has led to the errosion and collapse of the upper northwest section. A sunken bowl would be much more stable as bedrock would be the base with the concrete stadium seating anchored on top. There would need to be a robust pumping system to expel surface water and ground water.
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This is a good point. I have looked at pictures and it looks like the Husky stadium has a ground burm. However, I don't think that they properly reinforced it. Perhaps all that they needed was a better retaining wall. The technology exists since retaining walls are used effectively in highway construction without being unstable as is the Huskies Stadium.
If the sunken bowl, is for example, 25 feet deep, then it would be on solid bedrock. However, then all this material must be trucked away which would be very expensive and would disturb neighboring residents. If the bedrock and soil that is removed is piled 20 feet high around the stadium then ramps and steps could be used to get to the top of the stadium.The actual proportions of how much is excavated to how much is piled around the stadium bowl would have to be calculated based on the land area available. Then the stadium concourse is at the very top of the stadium (20 feet above street level, and 45 feet above the 34 rows of seats completely surrounding the field). The retaining walls for the stadium would look like standard walls from street (perhaps the wall could have evergreen vegetation growing from ledges, ivy looks great during the summer but not so great during the winter). All the washrooms and concessions could be build on this concourse with trees and bushes since it would be soil underneath. Then skyboxes could line part of the top of the stadium with part remaining open for handicapped seating. So this concourse would look like a public gardens with buildings for washrooms. Then when you go from this concourse to the stadium bowl you get a great contrast between the outer concourse and a very modern stadium bowl. The concourse would be surrounded by fencing that would allow views of the street below. Ideally, the sideline seats would be covered with two curved roof sections (but not the concourse which would be open to the elements). The roof sections would be fairly low and extend right to the edge of the field to provide maximum protection to the fans on the sideline stands. The concourse of the two end zones would be open so as to allow additional temporary stands to allow for large events. These stands would be placed at the concourse level, so the end zones would basically have two tiers of seating during large events. The roof sections would be relatively small in area compared to other similar stadiums since they would only cover the actual sideline stands and not the concessions, washrooms and entrance ramps.
From the street level you could look to the top of the 20 foot high exterior walls and see bushes and small trees growing on the top of the stadium. At street level, the ends of the stadium would have stairs and ramps leading into the entrance gates (which would be actual gates).
This is just my idea of an interesting stadium. However, the details would take a lot of work. And this stadium idea might sound very strange to others. I think that it could be built at a relatively modest price though. This idea is a combination of the InfoCision Field and the ancient Epidaurus (
http://www.odysseyadventures.ca/trips/greece/epidaurus.jpg ). When I look at pictures of the InfoCision field, it appears as though part of the excavated soil was used in that stadium construction.
One big difference between this and infoCision field is that this would be a complete symmetrical stadium bowl that would provide a lot of protection from the elements, especially since the bowl would be completely surrounded by earth that would provide excellent insulation from both cold and heat. Heating for the washrooms and concessions could possibly be provided by geothermal heating. If sufficient heat was available then the covered area could have some additional heat provided as an air curtain from the roof sections. Although this part sound far fetched, it has actually been tested (
http://www.jstor.org/pss/73885 ).
I think that actual folding seats would be best, at least under the roof sections since these provide the best movement of spectators along the seating aisles (between rows of seats). However, if necessary to keep the cost down then bench style seating could be used throughout. If money is very limited then the seating could be like the Epidaurus seating style (basically cement benches).
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