Home to one of the nation’s most storied baseball programs, the University of South Carolina sought to create a ballpark rivaling any other college stadium in the nation. With such an ambitious goal, the design took shape with two main ideas: nostalgia and garden.
Most of the stadium’s amenities are programmed in the main athletics building, along the first-base line. The stadium utilizes an industrial vernacular reminiscent of the old, historic warehouse architecture sprinkled throughout the outskirts of the main campus, including deep red brick, simple detailing, punched window openings and a repetitive, rhythmic facade.
Located southwest of the main campus, the stadium will become the anchor to USC’s future development toward the tree-lined Conagree River, creating intimate opportunities for fans to experience the beauty of Columbia’s natural environment. “Gardens” — small vibrant pockets specifically designed to capture the native foliage of the area — are strategically located within and around the stadium, creating a “parks within a park” experience. Future architectural trellises and meshes allowing vines and flowers opportunities to grow vertically and overhead will encapsulate patrons in a manner reminiscent of a traditional southern backyard garden.
Marshall University Recreation Center
