Nationals Park

An Ultra-Fast-Track Ballpark

The first LEED Silver certified professional sports stadium in the United States, Nationals Park was developed following the Montreal Expos’ move to Washington, DC. The stadium has 41,888 seats luxury suites and club-level seating, a 4,500-square-foot scoreboard, team offices, a conference center, a restaurant and sports bar, a picnic area and family plaza, and parking. The exterior makes innovative use of glass, structural steel and precast concrete to create a façade that reflects the architectural heritage of the nation’s capital.

We provided structural design for the 1-million-square-foot stadium with JV partner ReStl, and working with HOK/DP+Partners, and the contractor, Clark/Hunt/Smoot Joint Venture. The stadium opened in 2008.

Highlights

• An ultra-fast-track schedule was achieved through design-build delivery, with a construction schedule of only 23 months.
• The steel design relied on a Tekla Structures 3D building information model that was transferred to the steel subcontractor. Connection detailing and design changes were made in the model and downloaded directly to the fabricator’s shop, reducing the design and fabrication schedule for the stadium’s 7,800 tons of steel.
• The BIM also allowed the structural design to be completed well in advance of the final ballpark design.
• Green features include a 6,300-square-foot green roof above the concession stands beyond left field, regionally produced building materials, and recycled building materials.