US Open’s Louis Armstrong Stadium Wins Prestigious Design Award
July 29, 2019
New York, NY (July 28, 2019) — Louis Armstrong Stadium, located in Flushing Meadows, NY, has won a prestigious international design award, called Prix Versailles, Special Prize for Interior in the Sports category. The award recognizes structures for the beauty of their design, sustainability and commercial function. The stadium is designed by ROSSETTI, headquartered in Detroit.
Louis Armstrong stadium is one of a collection of facilities at the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) 42-acre Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which is home to the US Open. The 14,069-seat stadium opened in 2018 and features an innovative design that encourages air flow through the stadium while keeping rain off the court. It is true to the outdoor nature of the tournament by allowing play to continue during the rain while naturally conditioning the space for spectators and players.
The design also features a striking façade on the North and South sides of the stadium using overlapping terra cotta louvers, optimally positioned to reduce rain yet porous to maintain natural ventilation. The louvers allow air flow through the upper part of the building on the north and south elevations while shading spectators. The terra cotta material relates to the traditional brick buildings on the site while using the material in a new way. Its open concourse and spectator amenities create one of the best viewing experiences in tennis.
The World Judges Panel was led by Francesco Bandarin, the former Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO (Chairman of the World Judges Panel). The panel included David Adjaye, Ferran Adria, Iris van Herpen, Alondra de la Parra, Kazuyo Sejima, Philippe Starck and Thomas Vonier.
The award was founded by UNESCO in 2015. Detroit, where ROSSETTI is headquartered, is the only “UNESCO City of Design” in the United States. Nine winners across several categories were announced on July 16, 2019. Winners will come together on September 12, 2019 for the Prix Versaille World Ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.