De bartolo + riminac has released their proposal for their East Village Stadium intended house the San Diego Chargers NFL team. The East Village Stadium would replace the current home of the Chargers, Qualcomm Stadium, with a Super Bowl caliber site. The unique design of the stadium structure is inspired both by the Charger’s team colors and logo and the urban fabric of San Diego. The design is a collaboration by de bartolo + riminac with McCullough Landscape Architects. Images were created in collaboration with Design SubContracting Co.

For the main structure of the stadium, de bartolo +riminac flipped the Chargers’ lightning bolt logo and created a pinwheel-like circular structure. The shape is also an attempt by the architects to re-imagination of the concept of the civic center as a structure that outwardly embraces the surrounding cityscape and climate instead of focusing buildings towards a center point.

The stadium is planned for an area that links San Diego’s growing green space network of parks that is currently parking lots and train tracks. de bartolo + riminac want to embrace the connection with a new civic center for the city. The site is also an epicenter of public transportation, which allows the East Village Stadium to be easily accessible by bus, train, and trolleys.

Along with the stadium structure, de bartolo +riminac will connect an open-air amphitheater surrounded by green space. Between the stadium and the amphitheater a trolley line runs directly into the sub-structure of the stadium.

At the present time the stadium replacement process is stalled for various reasons, one being funding. No plans for construction are currently in place and the Chargers organization is even looking into sites outside the city in the surrounding San Diego County. Most key entities however agree the East Village site is the most viable site for a new stadium. Lucky for us  that only means we’ll be seeing a number of creative designs come in over the course of the process.


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