Fans attending the June 29 Philadelphia Phillies game caught a glimpse into Center City's baseball future as they viewed a giant-screen special showing of the city's new baseball stadium, to be completed by Opening Day of the 2004 season. The new 43,000-seat, natural-grass ballpark, designed by hometown architect Ewing Cole Cherry Brott with internationally renowned HOK Sport, strives for the Phillies' goal of creating "a world-class, baseball-only venue that offers fans an intimate and exciting experience."

The new ballpark, square with the city's grid, will be constructed on a 21-acre site just east of the 31-year-old Veterans Stadium, which will be demolished. It will incorporate many of the features that have made recently designed urban ballparks, such as Baltimore's Camden Yards and Denver's Coors Field, wildly popular with the public at large, baseball fans, and designers alike. Brick and stone facades—picking up the tone of the city surround—face the street. Bowl-style seating—with the playing field scooped out 23 feet below street level—allows great views of the action plus a backdrop of the cityscape beyond. And the stadium's cantilevered steel structure permits an abundance of open seating areas. Less than a third of the seats will be in the upper deck.

Street-level entrances will lead directly to the main concourse and an open view to the playing field. Landscaped entrance plazas at each of the ballpark's corners will tie the park even more closely to the city streets. Each plaza—unique in its design—will sport glass-enclosed 50-foot-tall lanterns.

Creating the new stadium appears to have been a closely collaborated effort between architects and client. "Our goal is simple: to make our new ballpark a special place for our fans," said Phillies President David Montgomery on the team's Web site. "We believe the design is fundamental to creating a unique and enduring ballpark experience. Our design team has worked hard with our entire organization to design a ballpark that will enhance our fans' experience."

The Phillies have already begun selling seats in the new stadium. To check out deals on season's tickets, or to read more about the new stadium, visit www.phillies.com.

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.