In the rolling landscape of North Texas, an elevated plateau of earth rises to become a new regional park incorporating a major league baseball stadium. The ecology of the site and its suburban nature prompted a new way of thinking about building a gathering place that would serve the population of an entire region. The project is designed to deal with the multitude of issues inherent in such a program - enormous numbers of cars, radical population curves, economic viability, creation of a sense of order in the landscape and promotion of awareness about the natural ecology of the site.

Mr. Gates acted as lead designer on this project at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, PC.

The sense of excitement in arrival to a game is exploited through a sequence of images and events. Two pedestrian viaducts provide access to the earth mound and other events in the park. The elevated earth plateau organizes the site and provides a ceremonial ground for the ritual of playing ball. The surface of the mound is an “electronic turf” that contains a grid of services. Names and statistics of players are located on this plateau, enhancing its memorial meaning.

1. Pedestrian Viaduct
2. Cable Car
3. Nolan Ryan Boulevard
4. Johnson Creek
5. Hall of Fame
6. Arlington Stadium
7. Hotel
8. Water Tower / Revolving Bar
9. Victory Island
10. Restaurants / Shops
11. Festival Restaurants
12. Amphitheatre
13. Diamond Vision Screen
14. Little League Stadium
15. Parking
16. Earth Mound / Elevated Park
17. Linear Park
18. Nolan Ryan Hologram
19. Parking
20. Nolan Ryan Hologram
21. Water Course
22. Picnic Grounds

Natural and artificial elements are layered and interwoven to create a new type of urban park.

The site has been designed as a modified ecosystem. An “orchard” of trees provides a cooling canopy overhead, while a linear park following Johnson Creek cuts through the mound to form a “canyon” with restaurants and shops lining its green perimeter. Cooling effects from the earth mass supplemented by cool air stored within the mound will naturally lower the temperature in this space to a comfortable level. The ballpark’s field is carved out of the mound. A trellis overgrown with vines and irrigated by mist transforms the exterior facade into a green wall, creating a park-like environment while allowing cooling breezes to flow through.

1. Orchard (shade tree canopy)
2. Electrified Turf (soil, water, electrical, communications, waste)
3. Air Storage Cahamber (goods storage roms)
4. Earth Mass
5. Riverwalk
6. Shops and Restaurants
7. Pedestrian Viaduct (to parking)

The site has been designed as a modified ecosystem. An “orchard” of trees provides a cooling canopy overhead, while a linear park following Johnson Creek cuts through the mound to form a “canyon” with restaurants and shops lining its green perimeter. Cooling effects from the earth mass supplemented by cool air stored within the mound will naturally lower the temperature in this space to a comfortable level. The ballpark’s field is carved out of the mound. A trellis overgrown with vines and irrigated by mist transforms the exterior facade into a green wall, creating a park-like environment while allowing cooling breezes to flow through.

The ballpark’s field is carved out of the mound. A trellis overgrown with vines and irrigated by mist transforms the exterior facade into a green wall, creating a park-like environment while allowing cooling breezes to flow through.

TRotating streams of light visible from a great distance will emit from Victory Island whenever the home team wins a game.