Populous' global collaboration between its North American and Australian firms delivered the winning bid to design Korean Baseball Organization club NC Dinos' proposed $100M ballpark. When the city of Changwon, South Korea, brought the architecture firm on board to create a new home for the club, it was a venture which saw two offices partner to create what Korean designer JooYoung Kim called a “culturally relevant design.” Based in Populous’ Asia-Pacific regional office in Brisbane, Australia, Kim collaborated with architect Greg Sherlock from the firm’s headquarters in Kansas City to come up with a ballpark that featured MLB design elements while still staying true to the amenities and features that resonate with Korean baseball fans.
“We started advising [the Australian office] on what are the kinds of decisions that are made in the design process that make a ballpark a ballpark,” Sherlock said. “What’s really distinct to point out is, a ballpark is a ballpark. It’s not a stadium. We don’t see it as a stadium. Once you have that mindset it really opens up a different kind of array of decisions that relate back to how the game is experienced.” How the game is experienced was a critical piece in the design process when taking in to account the Korean fanbase. “MLB fans are very family oriented and casual,” said Kim. “Japanese fans are more like one big cheering squad, chanting and singing together. Korean fans are a combination of both, and we designed the stadium to suit their unique style.”
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| JooYoung Kim |
STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES: Sherlock noted the structural differences between American ballparks and existing Korean ones. “Stadiums in Korea don’t allow for [the fans] to get up out of their seats,” Sherlock said. He said the team wanted an upgrade from the “antiquated” style of its current 10,000-seat venue which was built in '82. “The Dinos understand the value to allowing more movement of people around the game itself -- it makes the experience better.” The design features a 360-degree concourse that will provide a retail area, restaurant and café with views of the diamond. “The way Koreans experience the game is different from Americans,” Sherlock said. “It’s the same game, but the way they participate in Korea is very different. They are very focused on the play.” Sherlock hopes the easy access to amenities, combined with unobstructed views to the action, will encourage more movement. “It will be kind of a marriage I think,” he said. “There will still be this amazing electric environment.” The Populous team said the design will also appeal to a broader demographic of fans. “We made the seating bowl in the infield zone very intimate to increase atmosphere, while the family zone has a more relaxed feel,” Kim said.
'NEW GENERATION': Baseball is Korea's most popular sport, according to government statistics, with 7 million fans turning out for games every year. It's that popularity that, Sherlock said, Haeahn Consortium, the local firm tasked with constructing the stadium, saw as an opportunity to create a “new generation” ballpark in the district. Inspired by N.Y.’s High Line park, the venue will feature a roof-top garden that will extend the length of the structure. Kim said the design would appeal to tourists who are likely to visit the venue year-round to take in the view of the city. “No one visited the old venue on non-game days,” the NC Dinos said. “But the new stadium and parklands are designed so we can have fans and visitors every day of the year.” The team said the year-round accessibility of the park, which is set to be completed by September '18, sets it apart from other ballparks in Korea and is expected to add to the club’s revenue in addition to improving fan experience.
TEAM EFFORT: Sherlock credited the Brisbane office with providing an important vision for the winning design. “It was a special project for us because it comes from a fresh point of view from our Australia/Asia office,” Sherlock said. “They have a very fresh perspective on the problem at hand and a tight correlation with the Asian culture and the development of the design concept in that region of the country.” Kim added he was eager to utilize his knowledge and expertise in Korean culture for the project. “As a Korean designer, I was very excited to be able to insert my knowledge of the Korean culture into this design to ensure it was truly tailored for the NC Dinos fans.” Sherlock said he was pleased with the way the two firms were able to merge their ideas and skills and expects to see more global collaboration in the future. “There’s this sort of cross pollination going on and its pretty powerful,” Sherlock said. “We’re really enjoying this ride, so to speak, because sports in general is just internationalizing. It’s just getting bigger all the time.”
