When one thinks architecture, one usually doesn’t immediately visualize the sport of football and the magnificent stadiums that coincide with the physical pastime. As the Roman Colosseum once held gladiators who fought for fame and life, modern day American football stadiums also host contemporary gladiators whom play for fame and love of sport in some of the most spectacular venues ever built.

            One new National Football League stadium is about to mark its place in history with many firsts in the world of architecture. Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys collaborated with HKS Architects and with the vision of Bryan Trubey, designed an architectural jewel in which the Caesars of past would be jealous.  

 
            Unlike the Roman Colosseum and its many columns and arches, the new Cowboys stadium, still officially unnamed, encapsulates the world’s largest column free room. This room contains the playing field and the stadium seating. Cowboys’ stadium does employ the use of arches however in a grand way. To support the roof, designers used two 35 feet deep and 15 feet wide boxed arch trusses. Each truss spans nearly a quarter of a mile which translates into the longest “clear-span” structure in the world. According to the Cowboys stadium website, each arch is more than “twice the length of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.”

            By implementing adjacent long stretched arches, accompanying a canted exterior wall, the building itself takes on an oval, football shaped sphere. It’s impossible to not recognize the similar shape the stadium holds to the ball used to play the game. Visually speaking, the stadium tells you what sport is entertained within with just a glance.

            Bryan Trubey, the principal designer of Cowboys stadium admitted to the Dallas Morning News, his “fascination with Legos and an Erector set gave way to an adolescent yearning to be the next Frank Lloyd Wright.” His persistence and dedication landed him a $1 Billion dollar dream job in designing the stadium for “America’s Team.”

Working for a local architect at age 16, Bryan has since worked his way up through the sports facility hierarchy to be called, “the pre-eminent sports designer nationally,” by Ralf Hawkins, the chief executive of HKS Architects.

            In the modern business marketing world of branding, the Dallas Cowboys “star” and blue and white colors are akin to Coca-Cola’s cursive lettering and bright red hue. That is why Mr. Trubey’s stadium design is the “byproduct of intense brand analysis.”  Bryan thought the only way to justify the international Cowboys brand was to use a modernism design. The Cowboys wanted a “contemporary and forward thinking” design and that is exactly what was procured.

            The current and soon old Dallas stadium was uniquely designed to have a “hole in the roof” so God could watch his favorite team play. Jerry Jones continued this divine theme and incorporated it into the design of the new stadium, although this “hole” comes with a ground breaking retractable roof.

            The roof uses a rack-and-pinion drive system, which consists of 64 7.5 HP electric motors, opening and closing the domed roof in approximately 12 minutes. This unique and oversized convertible capability is the first of its kind in the world. The roof also boasts the steepest travel path in North America.
            
            The concept of size is staggering, since the stadium is not yet operational but scheduled to be used for the 2009 NFL season, the only humans to behold the enormity are the ones directly involved with the project. The official stadium website offers some comparisons to give us mortals an idea of the monstrous dimensions. The 2.3 million square foot structure is tall enough to hold the entire Statue of Liberty including Miss Liberty’s base. That is standing upright in case that was a question. The American Airlines Center, the venue for the Dallas Mavericks professional basketball team could fit entirely into the Cowboy’s stadium at field level. No word on whether or not Energy Solutions Arena would also squeeze in. Dallas stadium will officially claim the largest enclosed stadium in the NFL and the largest dome in the world. 

            Another world first is the giant glass retractable doors at each end of the stadium. These doors retract to enable air flow and give an outdoor feel to the venue. I imagine it like a really large Jeep where both the roof and the doors are removable going from protection from the elements to in the elements. I’m sure the ride in the stadium, although emotional not physical will also be equivalent to scaling the steepest and exposed red rock, thrilling, awe-inspiring, and ephemeral. With the herculean size of the dual glass doors they firm yet another world first becoming the tallest moveable glass walls in the world.
            
            What is a modern structure without a flat-screen television and multimedia experience? Well the Cowboys thought of this too, and solved this issue with a one-of-a-kind center hung video board. The testosterone inducing video screens stretch over half a football field in length measuring an adversary envious 60 yards and hang 110 feet above the field. Eat your heart out Best Buy. If you’re so unfortunate to have scored end-zone seats, your monitor is only a paltry 48 feet wide, still big enough to be seen from RFK Stadium.

            Although elegant in appearance, Cowboys stadium is built for functionality. Two plazas, along with three party decks in each end-zone creates approximately 10 acres of entertainment and socializing space. The big spenders and corporate types have the ability to move their party into one of 200 suites positioned at different areas throughout the stadium, versus the usual one level of suites. This is yet another design concept unique to Cowboys stadium.

            Upon entering at ground level, fans will immediately have a panoramic view of the entire field because the field itself is recessed 50 feet below the ground. This genius design decision helps mask the enormity of the stadium as seen from the exterior. The view from the outside not only resembles a football but also looks similar to an expensive solo, North Face, summit tent with a rain-fly attached. It gives the viewer a sense of mystery as to what exactly the interior beholds, so walking in and immediately being gifted a blanket view of the playing field must be a welcome surprise adding to the distinct vibe.

            The new Cowboys stadium has the capacity to seat 100,000 rabid football fans. I don’t see myself immediately in the position to personally visit or experience a game at the enormous and impressive setting however, when I do, I believe the architecture with elegant long lines created by the world’s longest structural arches will attract my attention as much as the gladiatorial like football game itself. Bryan Trubey, Jerry Jones, ya’ll done good.

Bibliography available upon request.