LOWER.COM FIELD

Ohio, USA

Images: Henderson Engineers

Engineering has traditionally been associated with functionality, whereas architecture is steeped in aesthetics. The latest crop of state-of-the-art stadia is breaking that mould, equally demanding artistry from all design disciplines to deliver a first-class fan experience. Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, home to the Columbus Crew Major League Soccer (MLS) team, tasked Henderson Engineers, the lead building systems design engineer on the $314 million project, with beauty as much as practicality. In response, Henderson delivered a neverbefore-seen approach to mechanical and lighting design in the MLS.

Atypical of most major stadiums, Lower.com Field is located within a floodplain. The grounds surrounding the venue are therefore devoid of ground-mounted mechanical equipment, which provide air conditioning, heating, and ventilation. This apparatus is also notably visibly absent from most of the structure’s underlying rooftops. Henderson achieved this all-around pristine look by hiding a majority of the systems under the 360-degree canopy that covers the venue’s 20,000 seats to protect patrons from the elements. Specifically, much of the equipment is situated on top of the press-level roof underneath the canopy.

Since heat tends to recirculate, heat rejection equipment can be overworked and deteriorate faster when placed below a shade structure in such a format. Henderson’s solution to this issue involved specifying a combination of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) HVAC condensing units beneath the canopy and pairing them with air handling units within the structure located 70 feet below. The VRF condensing units are uniquely capable of horizontal air discharge to help direct hot air out from beneath the canopy enclosure to avoid over-heating and over-working the equipment. VRF equipment is also inherently higher efficiency and automatically adjusts the level of cooling and heating it provides depending on isolated conditions at individual zones within the stadium. This not only offers the added benefit of lower power consumption, but also allows for increased flexibility and controllability when compared to conventional split air handling units. Incorporating this set up left the top of the 360-degree canopy virtually untouched by equipment, providing a smooth, clean look throughout from both an aerial and ground-level view.

“It’s a trade secret of sorts, but early building renderings almost never include mechanical systems,” explained Ben Weigand, Mechanical Technical Manager at Henderson. “So, a completed project frequently looks different once systems are in place. What’s amazing about Lower.com Field is the renderings and the end result look pretty much the same. Mechanical systems are out of sight or very subtle throughout the entire facility, including indoors, and it took a lot of creativity to achieve that.”

Akin to the mechanical approach, the alignment of lighting systems is particularly unique. Sports lighting, often located under stadium canopies, typically runs parallel to the perimeter of the pitch. In the case of Lower.com Field, Henderson angled the fixtures back further away from the field with each consecutive row. This unconventional placement was selected to match the diagonal brace of the stadium, creating a sense of uniformity with the overall structure. In addition to providing a consistent aesthetic, the stadium’s sports lighting is further integrated into the game day experience by its dynamic switching capabilities, which enable operators to flash the lights in a variety of patterns to build excitement before kickoff, at half-time, and when the home team scores.

“Sports lighting usually flies under the radar, and it generally means that something is off when it’s noticed,” explained Brett Miles, Electrical Technical Manager at Henderson.

“It’s exciting that we were able to make it stand out by making it feel like a natural part of the canopy while also allowing the team to use it to amp up the crowd. It’s an approach that provides a gameday experience that standard sports lighting doesn’t offer.”

The sense of uniformity achieved by sports lighting flows into the architectural lighting design that Henderson provided within the stadium’s indoor spaces, particularly the club rooms. To pay homage to the Columbus Crew’s team colors, yellow lighting with black accents were incorporated throughout. A key standout detail located within the River Club is the Hendersondesigned glowing grid lighting pattern, a nod to the chessboard pattern found on the Columbus Crew logo that was in use from 2014 to 2021. The grid is in conversation with a black and yellow striped ceiling in the Tipico Sportsbook Club along the opposite sideline, also mirroring a vintage logo detail.

“Our goal was to incorporate storytelling into the interior detailing, and we used lighting to tell the history of the team,” said Brett.

“It was a playful way to create a brand connection while also elevating the fan experience with a striking visual. Henderson’s origin is in retail, including designing high-end luxury spaces. We’re able to take key learnings from those projects and apply them to what we do at sports venues. Whether it’s our mechanical team delivering the required air while incorporating air distribution elements or totally hiding them, or the understated creativity that our electrical team weaves into our lighting approach. That attention to detail is what differentiates Henderson’s design process from the average engineering firm.”

In addition to mechanical and lighting, Henderson provided acoustics, code consulting, electrical, life safety, and sustainability design services for the project. The firm also oversaw fire protection, plumbing, security, and telecom design. HNTB was the architect, Turner Construction and Smoot Construction were the general contractors, Osborn Engineering and HNTB Structural were the structural engineers, and Musco Lighting was the sports lighting vendor.

Hospitalitytechnology