LoanDepot Park

Miami, United States

The Miami Marlins used the opportunity of a new ballpark to recreate their brand — and they turned to Populous to design a stadium at the heart of that transformation. Turning to the colorful and vibrant culture of the community, Populous designed a place where beauty and baseball collide.

The building itself is an abstract interpretation of water merging with land, symbolic of the city’s coastal landscape. It’s a bold vision portrayed through architecture as a modern, kinetic sculpture of faceted metal and glass. The retracting glass outfield wall frames beautiful views of the downtown skyline. The ballpark’s base creates a backdrop for urban life with arcades and colorful mosaics reflecting the diverse culture of Miami.

The 37,000-seat facility features a retractable roof to shield spectators from the sun and rain. The flexibility of having a retractable roof — one that takes only 13 minutes to fully open or close — allows 100 percent assurance that an event will take place regardless of weather. When fully open, the roof is parked completely outside the ballpark, creating an expansive plaza area designed for use well beyond game day.

The ballpark’s urban plan has framed a fundamental change in the character of the old Orange Bowl precinct, recreating the neighborhood street network and reconnecting Little Havana to Northwest 7^th Street and Northwest 17^th Avenue. Within this framework of public streets, the ballpark, future development and parking garages are presented as urban buildings on city blocks, creating an urban center.

The 37,000-seat facility features a retractable roof to shield spectators from the sun and rain. The flexibility of having a retractable roof – one that takes only 13 minutes to fully open or close – allows 100 percent assurance that an event will take place regardless of weather. When fully open, the roof is parked completely outside the ballpark, creating an expansive plaza area designed for use well beyond game day.

IMPACT. The ballpark’s urban plan has framed a fundamental change in the character of the old Orange Bowl precinct, recreating the neighborhood street network and reconnecting Little Havana to Northwest 7^th Street and Northwest 17^th Avenue. Within this framework of public streets, the ballpark, future development and parking garages are presented as urban buildings on city blocks, creating an urban center.

All you can say is, 'Wow.'