University of Oregon Jane Sanders Stadium / SRG Partnership (2024)

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Text description provided by the architects. Evoking power and strength, Jane Sanders Stadium is the sleek new home for the Oregon Ducks Softball team. A state-of-the-art 1,500 fixed-seat stadium made possible by a gift from Robert Sanders and named in honor of his late wife Jane, this facility is inspired by one of the most innovative and respected athletic brands in the country but fits gracefully into the fabric of the University of Oregon campus.

Brand Integration
This stadium, including the iconic canopy that soars high above the concourse and seating bowl, has become synonymous with Oregon softball and its innovative brand of play. As the primary sense of arrival element, the wing-shaped structure is elegant and graceful. Key themes—stealth, feathers, the Sanders Family tie to the wood industry, and the home plate—influenced the design process and appear in the forms and materials. The outcome is a unique and identifiable visual articulation of the UO softball story—combining innovation, ducks in flight, the Sanders Family and sport.

Home Field Advantage
Student-athlete and fan experience was one of the highest design priorities. The Ducks thrive on interaction and shared energy with their fans. The stadium bowl’s design, with seats extending to field level, create intimacy between athletes and fans. Jane Sanders Stadium uniquely links program components like suites and practice facilities, providing direct connections to the field. This approach also created a cost-efficient solution that maximized seat count and space for the team.

Building Community
Development on the UO campus must respond to the global campus goals of the Campus Planning Committee. The design team successfully met priorities by enhancing existing and incorporating new pedestrian connections. An open plaza that welcomes all of campus connects to University Street.

The history of the former ballpark, Howe Field, is preserved through the revitalization of Howe Gates. These historic gates again grace the path of many who enter the new public plaza from University Street.

Stadium design must also be sensitive to surrounding neighbors. In this case, the site is adjoined by a residential community. Care was taken to alleviate residents’ concerns about light and sound pollution from the ballpark. Light distribution and sound computer models were shared in public meetings to ensure neighborhood concerns where understood and addressed.

Building Performance
The team building and adjoining Softball Performance Center (SPC) make training-practice-game day routine a seamless experience. Prismatic skylights daylight the SPC, conserving energy and emulating outdoor conditions of the field.

Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, a unique accomplishment in the world of sports facilities. The building also meets UO’s aggressive Oregon Model for Sustainable Development, with an energy reduction of 35% over Oregon Energy Code. The building also reduces water usage by 37% with low-flow fixtures and irrigation savings measures. Turf was chosen for the outfield for its low irrigation and maintenance requirements. The stadium bowl is built from a prefab system. The components have a high recycled content, are easily maintained, and at the end of their useful life, can be deconstructed and recycled again.

Product Description.The stadium’s iconic canopy soffit was clad with custom-made plywood panels cut into the shape of home plates. The home plates are assembled in a dynamic pattern, using a plywood module intended to minimize waste during fabrication. The wood element also subtly references the project’s primary donor, for whom the stadium is named.