“Gillette Stadium hosts football, soccer, concerts, and other smaller events year-round, so a high level of collaboration was needed across the entire design and construction team to keep the venue operational throughout the two-year north end renovation,” said Tyler Johnson, Venue Sector Practice Manager at Henderson Engineers. “While Henderson has worked on various other Gillette Stadium enhancements since 2014, nothing beats the excitement of successfully delivering the most complex and significant transformation yet.”
Spanning 22,200-square-feet, the new high-definition videoboard follows the arc of the stadium and is the largest of its kind in American sports. Audio-video experts from Henderson helped nail down specifications for the jumbotron while its electrical team oversaw controls and power systems. The board was installed in phases during the last two consecutive summers so as to not interfere with the stadium’s large events schedule.
Standing at 220 feet high, the “Lighthouse” includes a 360-degree observation deck offering views of the surrounding Boston and Rhode Island region. In collaboration with LAM Partners, Henderson equipped the lights within the tower with color changing and color tuning functionality, providing the capability to illuminate numerous hues and patterns for game day celebrations and other festivities. Henderson furthermore designed for a snow melt system to keep the observation deck accessible to patrons during all seasons.
Other Henderson-engineered enhancements include a revamped Enel Plaza, offering a new grand entrance to the venue. Above the plaza sits the new 50,000-square-foot A-P Atrium, a multipurpose space that overlooks the field and functions as a premium club on game days and an event space on other occasions.
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“Gillette Stadium is a beloved landmark for millions of fans in the Northeast and across the country. This renovation project further entrenches it as not only a premier destination for sports events, but also for other recreational activities throughout the year,” Johnson said.
In addition to audio-video, electrical, and lighting, Henderson’s full scope of design services for the north end renovation included acoustical consulting, energy modeling, fire protection, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom. Populous served as the architect and Suffolk Construction was the general contractor.
