Ryan Starkovich, Henderson Engineers

RYAN STARKOVICH, VENUE SECTOR EXECUTIVE, HENDERSON ENGINEERS

SoFi Stadium Elevates the Sporting Experience

Images: Henderson Engineers

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t’s tough to pinpoint the words to sufficiently describe the excitement that myself and many of my colleagues at Henderson Engineers feel ahead of the 2022 Super Bowl. While a lot of sports fans look forward to the championship game every winter, this year’s is extra special for us since it’s being hosted at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., right outside Los Angeles. Henderson had the pleasure of serving as lead engineer for the state-of-the-art venue, providing acoustics, audio-video, electrical, fire protection, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom building systems design services. We were enlisted for the project in 2014 and were on board throughout the six-year duration of the build. While major events have been hosted at SoFi since its opening in 2020, nothing quite matches the Super Bowl. In addition to around 100,000 live spectators, the game will be broadcast to approximately 150 million people around the world. It’s amazing that our engineering expertise will be showcased in front of that many viewers at once. As Henderson’s venue sector executive, the upcoming Super Bowl has inspired some reflection on some of our proudest design approaches at SoFi. While the list is extensive, I’ll touch on three that especially stand out: inventive ventilation, interconnectivity, and an operable grid system for field lighting.

1. Inventive Ventilation Given SoFi Stadium is located just four miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the Federal Aviation Administration required the building to top off at 200 feet or less so as not to interfere with flight paths. This meant building underground to achieve the scope envisioned for the project. Consequently, the field sits around 90 feet below ground level, a depth that is uncommon within the NFL and other major professional sports leagues. Furthermore, as you move around the structure, you will find yourself between two and five levels below grade. As a result, a notable challenge was moving air into these recessed areas from outside the building and vice versa to provide air conditioning as well as discharge nonenvironmental air from restrooms, kitchens, and so forth. Solving this hurdle required some outside-the-box thinking, and we found the solution within the areaway between the building wall and the grade wall. The space was in place to meet the seismic requirements that are standard in California. Our designers opted to use the gap, which would typically be unutilised, as a passageway for incoming and outgoing air both with and without ducts depending on the air source. We’re proud to have implemented this nontraditional route to provide comfort and good air quality, which is a hidden but impactful element of the stadium experience.

2. Interconnectivity In addition to SoFi, Henderson was the lead engineer for the entire 298-acre Hollywood Park mixed-use development anchored by the stadium. We provided a variety of design services throughout the complex, which includes an NFL media building (security and telecom), two million square feet of retail and workplace space (audio-video, fire

alarm, security, and telecom), 25 acres of outdoor park spaces (electrical, security, and telecom), as well as the 6,000 seat YouTube Theater performance venue (architectural lighting, electrical, fire protection, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom). The idea behind these offerings was to create a destination that would be enjoyed by locals and visitors throughout the year, regardless of whether it’s game day or not. To support a seamless experience for fans, patrons, and staff throughout the entire entertainment complex, we designed the fibre optic technological infrastructure to support a single interconnected network (for Wi-Fi, distributed antenna systems (DAS) for cellular service, security cameras, etc.) that seamlessly shares data across the whole development. We also designed an interconnected security system. This differs from typical large venues, which often use separate networks for each building or location. Our approach brings added convenience as fans and patrons don’t have to switch between networks to access the internet or other communication tools as they move through the complex. There’s also added peace of mind in knowing that security data is shared and accessible to authorities and other necessary parties from all points, should there be an emergency. 3. Operable Grid System for Field Lighting Catwalks or other immobile structured systems that suspend lights from above are standard for most stadiums and arenas. With SoFi, though, the project team struck a balance between providing the best possible illumination for game play and performances while also maintaining the aesthetics of the space. In collaboration with HKS Architects, we designed field lights on an operable grid system that lowers down to the seat level for easy maintenance. The lights are spread throughout the stadium versus in a clustered configuration and we explored numerous iterations with the lighting team to identify ideal placements. SoFi is only the third instance where such a system has been installed in the United States, joining NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans, and Crypto.com Arena, home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers as well as the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. As a result of the lowering functionality, we avoided costs that would have come with attaching lights to the roof structure or building a permanent access platform for the fixtures. In addition to being more architecturally distinguished than a typical lighting configuration, the lights were designed with eye-catching colour changing capabilities. Operators can not only flash the beams, but they can also glow the entire stadium in singular or multiple colours. For instance, the building can be illuminated in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month or in rainbow colours for Pride Month, providing a unique way to support or connect with the surrounding community. While Henderson works on projects for all major professional sports leagues and Power 5 collegiate conferences, SoFi is in a league of its own in terms of the ingenuity in design by all parties involved. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all the amazing project partners we collaborated with including HKS Architects, the Turner-AECOM Hunt Joint Venture, Walter P Moore, and Studio-MLA. Their professionalism and expertise made the whole process quite enjoyable. And while hosting the Super Bowl is incredible, it’s just the tip of the iceberg for all the amazing events that will take place at SoFi Stadium well into the future. I personally can’t wait to watch the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games in 2028, which will have billions of people tuning in. It’s truly a dream come true.

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