SoFi Stadium

The challenge was to design a venue that captures the essence of Southern California and in turn create the ultimate entertainment destination. That required a reimagination of what a stadium could be using a unique delivery methodology. The site is the NFL’s largest stadium and home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. But the 298-acre project also includes a 6,000-seat performance venue, the 2.5-acre American Airlines Plaza and 25 acres of parks and open space. The design team conducted extensive research on the regional architecture, lifestyle, climate, and geography to create the first true indoor-outdoor stadium ever constructed. The coastline inspired the stadium’s curved form and the roof, bowl and concourses were sculpted to evoke an outdoor venue while providing the flexibility of a traditional domed stadium. Because there are no walls – the roof is “anchored” at four different spots — fans feel the Pacific breeze while ‘inside’ the 70,000-seat stadium. The semi-translucent roof is comprised of more than 300 Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) panels, including 46 operable panels to maximize airflow. The panels feature a 65% frit pattern to reduce solar gain. SoFi Stadium’s porous canopy is comprised of more than 35,000 anodized aluminum panels, with each panel conforming to the geometry in a way that no two are the same. Each panel has its own unique perforation pattern, and by our calculations, we punched more than 20 million holes. The 19.5-acre roof serves as the stadium’s “fifth elevation.” It is designed with an LED system embedded into the ETFE to project images, which could include showing live events inside the stadium. These images can be seen from the air by the more than 80 million passengers traveling through LAX annually without sacrificing the transparency of the roof for fans inside. But the stadium’s location in the flight path of LAX, which sits three miles away, created a challenge. To meet FAA height regulations, workers excavated more than seven million cubic yards of dirt to locate the stadium 100-feet below grade. This presented an opportunity to create a venue seamlessly integrated with its natural landscape and rethink the way fans experience an event. The design team created a series of ‘canyons’ – landscaped pathways, gardens and patios – where fans descend on escalators, stairs and ramps, reminiscent of a trek down bluffs to a Malibu beach. Another major feature of SoFi Stadium is the videoboard. It is the largest in sports at 2.2 million pounds and 120-yards long. It is also the first-ever dual-sided 4K LED display system – displaying images on both sides and making it readable from every seat. All 80 million LED pixels can be uniquely or congruently programmed with specialized content. A state-of-the-art audio system with more than 260 speakers delivers a wattage equivalent of 1,500 home theater systems. Together, they produce a unique experience for fans who can watch live action, instant replays, get real-time fantasy stats, or even watch different programming.