Perspectives
Driving Innovation Out of Left Field
Walter P Moore’s Jeff Jansing, Shruti Sharma, and Joe Dowd explain the structural engineering achievements that helped bring Globe Life Field to life.
Overview
Globe Life Field—the new $1.1 Billion home of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Texas Rangers—caters to baseball fans of all ages.
Loaded with stunning architecture designed by HKS, state-of-the-art technology and fresh gameday experiences at every turn, the 1.7 million sq ft, 40,300-seat venue features an exceptionally intimate seating bowl, a multitude of premium amenities and a distinctive, ETFE-clad retractable roof to protect cheering fans from rain or the sweltering Texas sun. The 300,000 sq ft, single-panel roof takes a mere 12 minutes to travel over 400ft, creating an open-air ballpark experience when desired and exposing spectacular views.
Additionally, the otherwise climate controlled venue maximizes natural light entering the stadium when the roof is closed through the extensive use of ETFE and glass.
The ballpark’s exterior design blends a historic, retro-style brick façade with structural steel accents and extensive glazing throughout. A sprawling glass wall on the stadium’s north side frames an inviting main entry from the adjacent Texas Live! Entertainment District, a complex of hotels, retail and restaurants anchored by the new ballpark. Globe Life Field replaces Globe Life Park, itself a retro-style park that opened in 1994. The interior arches along the left field and centerfield upper concourses of Globe Life Field are an ode to the original ballpark’s iconic exterior architecture. Incorporating the latest in LED technology, expansive video boards visible from any vantage point in the seating bowl ensure that spectators never miss out on the action.
