The new 40,000-seat stadium at the University of Houston has transformed the school’s athletics profile and has enhanced the image of the university as a progressive, 21st century institution. A change in orientation from its predecessor aligns the new facility with adjacent buildings, a new light rail stop and surrounding campus circulation. The new alignment also allows the stadium to present stunning views of downtown Houston. Appropriate for a university aimed at students with modest means, this stadium is not the lavish palace for sports that richer institutions have been building. As the Houston Chronicle proclaimed about the stadium’s contribution to U of H’s mission, “It’s a symbol—to thrive, not just survive—in the high-stakes competition with universities across Texas and the nation.”

Jury Comments: Wonderful example of doing more with less. The jury appreciated the overall straightforwardness of the design, and the design teams’ decision to emphasize the screen. The screen is nicely conceived and effective at several scales, offering a strong identity to the project and team, and a sophisticated alternative to ‘branding’ that is commonly associated with this type of project.