Transformers + Design

It seemed very familiar to me, but something was clearly different. Gateways were active, concourses served as a conduit for fans to access food, beverage, and retail. The background music fueled the vibe, creating an energy in the venue that was electric. Globe Life Field was inundated with people and the 407 home run wall, intentionally designed in honor of Hall of Famer, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez who wore the #7, was consumed by a concert stage, video boards and lights.

It’s a beautiful thing to see how operators of our venues work strategically and diligently to transform the venue into different events of all scales. In the case of Globe Life Field, it goes way beyond the diamond — high school graduations, proms, corporate outings, collegiate wrestling, baseball, football, rodeo and monster trucks, just to name a few. This breathes life into venues that otherwise would go dormant when not in use. What’s normally used for Major League Baseball was electric, a new form of currency. We’ve seen the video board light up with fireworks after a Rangers home run, but centerfield had a constant pulsating glow that illuminated the entire space while Green Day played the classics.

Transformer in Cowtown

The notion of a building consisting of moving parts, equipped with services and amenities allowing it to take on a different appearance and play host to an array of different events, is becoming more of a need. My grandson, Mateo, is into Transformers. While the toy can be manipulated to play a different role or character, the future of stadium and arena design, and designing for an evolving user/fan base, is in question.?

Earlier this year, Cindy and I went to a concert at Dickies Arena, but when I stepped foot in the HKS venue this time, the place had been converted to an eSports competition haven. While the building’s outer armor reflects that of the 1930’s era Art Deco style and compliments the old Fort Worth aesthetic, its internal workings are set up to flex and host more than 300 events a year. The space can shift for specialized equestrian, livestock shows, rodeo, hockey, basketball and much more. It seemed that every square foot was repurposed to host the generation of highly energized tech savants. I’ll have to make it back to watch the rodeo...Yee haw!

Fear the Frog

Our tour continued with a short ride to TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. My family and friends roamed these parts for a solid four years in support of our son, Antonio, as he ran up and down the field. Such great emotions and memories rushed through my body. The stadium transformation, executed by HKS, sits nicely in its context and reminds me of the term, “rus in urbe.” Latin for?country in the city or a city garden or park evoking the rural countryside.?In this case, the significance of The Carter’s scale and sensitivity to the campus plan is enhanced by its playing field, adjacent lawns, meandering pathways and lush landscape.?

Our client walks off the length and width of the suite offerings to get a feel for dimension and scale. I can hear them calling out measurements in Spanish, “four meters…five meters.” Their eyes are tuning in to the various offerings we designed and the feeling of being up high with great views, not only to the green playing field, but the distant pastoral backdrop. I haven’t been back for a game in a couple of years, but I look forward to experiencing the booming 50,000 fans creating the aura that comes with Fear the Frog.?

Doppelg?nger?

Back in my modeling and acting days, I used to pass for different ethnicities and played a doctor, pharmacist, professor, businessman, architect, etc. — a Transformer of sorts; maybe more of a chameleon.?

As I round my trip in Guatemala downloading all the great things we experienced bouncing around the US touring a dozen venues, I find myself in the hotel lounge having breakfast before heading to the airport. A young man approached me asking if I was from Spain, I replied, “No.” He quickly says, “…then where are you from because I thought you were Ruben Gonzalez, a soccer team trainer for Real Madrid.” He shows me a pic and I said, “Umm, I kind of see the resemblance, but I have way more gray hair!”

As my image changes with time, I realize I also seek change in the way we create a unique spectrum of experiences. Our process in creating the next 1 of 1 for our clients comes with years of exploration and testing. I believe we “morph” with time learning from one venue to the next. I look forward to HKS showcasing the next best thing in entertainment.?

Please message me and share your best experience in any venue. I’d like to know what moves you. Thanks!