Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Washington: Husky Stadium Renovation and Expansion

  • 03/01/15
Husky Stadium Renovation and Expansion

PHOTOS © 2013 DOUG SCOTT and HOK (bottom center), ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Husky Stadium has been the home of University of Washington football for over 90 years. A substantial renovation and expansion to the stadium, which opened in 2013, transformed it into a state-of-the-art facility that better serves the needs of students, student-athletes and fans. The design solution developed by HOK provides enhanced amenities while maintaining the stadium’s historic character and surrounding natural setting.

Located adjacent to Lake Washington, the design responds to tight site constraints and enhances the stadium’s outdoor amenities through the creation of large landscaped plazas. On event days, the plazas expand to their full extent, providing continuous public space around the entirety of the stadium bowl. The stadium’s proximity to the softball facility and football practice fields allows for shared use.

Inside the stadium, complete demolition and reconstruction of the lower bowl and south side stands brings fans closer to the action. “The running track, which previously surrounded the field, was removed and the new synthetic turf field was installed four feet lower to optimize sightlines,” says Brad Schrock, director of sports, recreation and entertainment for HOK. “Minimizing sideline dimensions allowed us to bring seating as close to the field as possible and create new premium seating options desired by fans.”

Six “Touchdown Terrace” patio suites and 60 club seats were added at the field-level, offering fans a front-row, toes-on-turf, game-day experience. New circulation to the concourses and seating allows for easy access to The Zone, a popular pregame and half-time gathering space that offers activities for fans of all ages. In addition, The Zone offers up close access to the Husky Team as they enter the stadium.

Extensive efforts were made to minimize the facility’s environmental impact. The project is targeting LEED certification and adheres to Salmon-Safe Project guidelines.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • abstract illustration of school gym

    How the Gymnasium Can Serve as a Model for Learning Space Design

    Multipurpose gyms work because flexibility was built into the brief from the start, not retrofitted later. The same logic applies to academic spaces.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.