59-713: Subaru Park is a soccer-specific stadium located in Chester , Pennsylvania , located next to the Commodore Barry Bridge on the waterfront along the Delaware River . The venue is home to the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer . Subaru Park was designed as an initial step for economic development on the waterfront, with additional plans calling for a riverwalk amidst other entertainment, retail, and residential projects. The stadium
118-630: A city” in Las Vegas), SFO Airport (beginning with the Central Terminal project in 1980 and continuing with comprehensive T2, T3, and T1 renovations), and Shanghai Tower (a 128-story mixed-use tower). In 2013, the 2,073-foot Shanghai Tower became China's tallest building, and the second-tallest in the world. In 2023 Gensler undertook the office-to-residential conversion of 160 Water Street in Manhattan's Financial District . The project
177-422: A combined soccer stadium and economic revitalization package for Chester. $ 25 million was allocated to the construction of the stadium, with an additional $ 7 million towards a two-phase project composed of 186 townhouses, 25 apartments, 335,000 square feet (31,100 m) of office space, a 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m) convention center, more than 20,000 square feet (1,900 m) of retail space, and
236-555: A memorial to Donald G. Brinkmann, a gifted interior designer and former partner at Gensler. In 2007, the firm established its gServe community impact program. Gensler's Community Impact program encourages offices to dedicate at least 80 percent of their Community Impact resources to one or more of four themes: Housing and Homelessness, Health and Wellness, the Environment, and the Next Generation. In 2015, Gensler signed
295-608: A new station closer to the stadium are under consideration as part of the stadium's expansion plan. Soccer-specific stadium A soccer-specific stadium , mainly in the United States and Canada, is a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multi-purpose stadium which is for a variety of sports. A soccer-specific stadium may host other sporting events (such as lacrosse , American football and rugby ) and concerts, but
354-459: A parking structure to house 1,350 cars. In phase two, another 200 apartments will be built, along with 100,000 square feet (9,300 m) of office space and 22,000 square feet (2,000 m) of retail space. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with the city to ensure that construction activities did not impact the nearby parking facility, which had been the site of the Wade Dump ,
413-548: A previously polluted Superfund site. Construction delays led to the Philadelphia Union's decision to play their inaugural home game at Lincoln Financial Field instead of Subaru Park. Their first match at the stadium was played on June 27, 2010, when they defeated Seattle Sounders FC 3–1. Sébastien Le Toux scored the Union's first goal at the stadium on a crossed header. However, Pat Noonan of Sounders FC scored
472-436: A roof. The field dimensions are within the range found optimal by FIFA : 110–120 yards (100–110 m) long by 70–80 yards (64–75 m) wide. These soccer field dimensions are wider than the regulation American football field width of 53 + 1 ⁄ 3 yards (48.8 m), or the 65-yard (59 m) width of a Canadian football field. The playing surface typically consists of grass as opposed to artificial turf , as
531-440: A team by Commissioner Don Garber , as evidenced by his statement, "It's not a matter of if but when Philadelphia gets a team." Initially, Major League Soccer was interested in a site in the borough of Bristol , about 23 miles (37 km) north of Center City Philadelphia . The plans never came to fruition, however. Rowan University later provided plans for a soccer stadium near its Glassboro, New Jersey campus, but funding from
590-765: Is expected to yield 588 residential rental units and has been applauded by politicians such as Mayor Eric Adams as well as activists concerned with the city's lack of housing. In 2005, Gensler debuted its first U.K. Workplace Survey, followed by a U.S. Workplace Survey in 2006, and the formal establishment of the Gensler Research program in 2007. The firm launched subsequent U.S. & U.K. Workplace Surveys in 2008, 2013, and 2016. Gensler's Workplace Surveys now encompass five continents, with surveys in Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Latin America,
649-437: Is in comparison to the much larger American football stadiums that mostly range between 60,000 and 80,000 in which the original North American Soccer League teams played and most MLS teams occupied during the league's inception. As opposed to gridiron-style football stadiums, where the front row of seats is elevated several feet above the field of play to allow spectators to see over the heads of substitute players and coaches on
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#1732780247363708-443: Is launching new green specifications that focus on reducing high-carbon materials. Gensler's “Impact Through Design” report, launched in 2016, explores strategies for architecture and design to play a greater role in global climate change strategy and mitigation, reinforcing this commitment to sustainability with the firm's subsequent “Impact by Design” reports in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2023, Gensler announced
767-589: Is particularly visible in European American football leagues and conflicts between teams sharing the stadium (a notable example are Eintracht Braunschweig and the Braunschweig Lions which share a stadium) and (often municipal) owners of the stadiums sometimes arise, leading to attempts at single sport-specific venues. In Australia the term has much the same meaning as that in the United States. The dominance of Australian rules football in
826-616: Is sometimes used in countries where the sport is known as football rather than soccer, although the term is not common in countries where football is the dominant sport and thus football-specific stadiums are quite common. The term tends to have a slightly different meaning in these countries, usually referring to a stadium without an athletics track surrounding the field. Some soccer stadiums in Europe are also used for other sports, including rugby, American football, and field hockey. The problem with oversized stadiums designed for another sport
885-811: The 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship . In 2013, the stadium hosted the Major League Lacrosse 's Championship known as the Steinfeld Cup . In this game, the Chesapeake Bayhawks defeated the Charlotte Hounds 10–9 in front of 3,892 fans. On April 24 & 26, 2015, the 2015 ACC Lacrosse Championship was hosted at the facility. In 2015, the stadium hosted the NCAA Division I and Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship. Maryland beat North Carolina in
944-766: The American Institute of Architects . In 2009, Gensler became the first firm inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame. Gensler received the AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture for the HyundaiCard Air Lounge in 2012 and the Jackson Hole Airport in 2014. For the third year in a row, Forbes included Gensler among “America’s Best Midsize Employers” in 2018. Gensler received
1003-514: The Army–Navy Cup at Subaru Park. The 2012 meeting marked just the third time in the 75-year history of the soccer rivalry that the schools met at a neutral location and was the first regular-season neutral site meeting, with the previous two occurring in the NCAA tournament. Philadelphia is the traditional home of the classic football rivalry and is halfway between the two schools. 3,672 turned out for
1062-602: The "Sports/Recreation Project of the Year." The company grants the award to premier construction projects in the Mid-Atlantic region. In February 2011, the Delaware County Planning Commission awarded the stadium the 2010 William H. Bates Memorial Award. Since 1980, the honor is presented annually to real-estate developers that improved a Delaware County property. Subaru Park features many of
1121-449: The #1 ranking in 2023. For the 42nd consecutive year, Gensler received the highest ranking on Interior Design magazine's “Top 100 Giants” list in 2023. In 2023, Gensler maintained the top position on Architectural Record’s Top 300 Architecture Firms for the 12th consecutive year. The AIA honoured Gensler’s repositioning of Willis Tower with the 2023 AIA National Interior Architecture Award and awarded adaptive reuse project 633 Folsom
1180-404: The 1990s, after the multi-purpose stadium era. The term "soccer-specific stadium" was coined by Lamar Hunt , who financed the construction of Columbus Crew Stadium , the first soccer-specific stadium constructed specifically for Major League Soccer. In the 2000s, other Major League Soccer teams in the United States began constructing their own stadiums. Canada's first soccer-specific stadium
1239-788: The Boston Whitecaps defeated the Seattle Rainmakers 31–17. Given its ability to be used as a football field, Subaru Park has recently been used as an annual site for the Drum Corps International Summer Competition Tour. The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York , and the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland , have played their annual men's soccer rivalry, called
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#17327802473631298-534: The DI game while SUNY Cortland beat Trinity College of Hartford in the DIII game. In 2016, the stadium again hosted the NCAA Division I and Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship, May 28 and May 29, 2016. At the high school level, notable events included the boys' 2015 Inter-Academic League Championship game, between The Haverford School , from Pennsylvania , and The Hun School of New Jersey . The Haverford School won
1357-601: The Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, UPCycle, and Etsy headquarters for integrating design excellence and sustainable performance. Gensler received the #1 rank overall in Building Design's 2021 World Architecture 100 Rankings. For a decade, Gensler has topped Architectural Record's annual list of the Top 300 Architecture Firms in the U.S. For the third year, Fast Company named Gensler among
1416-536: The Gensler Experience Index, which quantifies the direct impact design has on experience, followed by industry reports in the Education, Healthcare, Residential, Retail, and Hospitality sectors. In 2020, the firm launched Gensler's City Pulse Survey, surveying residents in four cities during lockdown due to COVID-19, followed by another City Pulse Survey in 2021, surveying 10 cities to see how
1475-619: The Middle East, U.K., and the U.S. In 2010, Gensler's research program secured a registered trademark for its Workplace Performance Index (WPI), a trademarked pre- and post-occupancy tool. In 2017, Gensler celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Gensler Research Program (now the Gensler Research Institute) with the publication of Gensler's Research Catalogue, Volume 2. In 2017, the firm launched
1534-625: The Paris Pledge for Action at the COP21 conference , pledging to reduce carbon emissions to limit climate change to less than 2 degrees Celsius. At the U.N. Climate Action Summit in 2019, Co-CEO Diane Hoskins announced the Gensler Cities Climate Challenge (GC3), which challenges the architecture and design industry to eliminate all greenhouse gases associated with the built environment. To further that pledge, Gensler
1593-511: The U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s and then overseas in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1972, the firm established an office in Houston to provide interior design services for Pennzoil Company's 600,000-sq-ft corporate headquarters. In 1979, the firm opened its New York office to provide interior design and production services for Mobil Oil Corporation's corporate headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. In 1988,
1652-500: The club commissioned Gensler to study an expansion of the stadium, which would be able to accommodate 27,000 seats on its current footprint. Subaru Park hosted the Collegiate Rugby Championship every June between 2011 and 2019. The Collegiate Rugby Championship is the highest profile college rugby competition in the United States, and is broadcast live on NBC annually. In 2011, over 17,800 fans attended
1711-487: The design and purpose of a soccer-specific stadium is primarily for soccer. Some facilities (for example SeatGeek Stadium , Toyota Stadium and Historic Crew Stadium ) have a permanent stage at one end of the stadium used for staging concerts. A soccer-specific stadium typically has amenities, dimensions and scale suitable for soccer in North America, including a scoreboard, video screen, luxury suites and possibly
1770-730: The elements without obstructing the view of the Commodore Barry Bridge and the Delaware River from their seats. The exterior façade is made up of brick and natural stone, a continuity of traditional Philadelphia architecture. Additional features include thirty luxury suites, a full-service restaurant and club above the Chester End, and a built-in concert stage in The River End (which has yet to be used). In February 2020, as part of Subaru of America becoming
1829-424: The firm celebrated its 50th anniversary. After serving as Co-CEOs for nearly 20 years, Cohen and Hoskins became Gensler’s first Global Co-Chairs in 2024, and the firm named Jordan Goldstein and Elizabeth Brink as the new co-CEOs . As the firm's global footprint has grown, Gensler has launched megaprojects such as CityCenter (Gensler served as Executive Architect of the 67-acre, 18 million-square-foot “city within
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1888-796: The firm in 1965, along with his wife Drue Gensler and their associate James Follett. They originally focused on corporate interiors, for newly constructed office buildings including the Alcoa Building (1967) and the Bank of America Building (1969), both in San Francisco. The firm has since diversified into numerous forms of architecture and design, including commercial office buildings, retail centers, airports, education facilities, entertainment complexes, planning and urban design, mission-critical facilities, consulting, brand design, and other areas. Gensler grew rapidly with offices opening around
1947-765: The firm launched its first overseas office in London, followed by new offices in Tokyo and Hong Kong in 1993. In 2002, Gensler opened an office in Shanghai, establishing a permanent presence in China. By the early 2000s, Gensler was the largest architecture and design company headquartered in the U.S. In 2005, Gensler's board of directors extended the firm's collaborative leadership structure by naming Andy Cohen , Diane Hoskins, and David Gensler as executive directors/Co-CEOs. Cohen and Hoskins continue their tenure as Co-CEOs. In 2015,
2006-414: The first Philadelphia matchup. After Hurricane Sandy , the 2012 Big East Men's Soccer Tournament was moved to Subaru Park from Red Bull Arena . Subaru Park served as host again in 2013 for the restructured conference's tournament. The stadium also hosted an international friendly between Greece and Nigeria in 2014. The match was a scoreless draw. The 2013 College Cup was held at Subaru Park and
2065-508: The first goal in the venue's history. The stadium's record attendance was achieved on December 5, 2021, for the 2021 Eastern Conference Final when the Union were defeated by New York City FC 2–1 in front of 19,487 fans. Due to consistently high attendance and ticket sales, in 2011 the Philadelphia Union expressed interest in expanding the capacity of the stadium. The planned expansion would occur in three phases, initially to 20,000, then to 27,000, and finally to approximately 30,000. In 2024,
2124-524: The foods commonly sold at American sports venues, and also offers traditional Philadelphia food items such cheesesteaks , hoagies , and soft pretzels (shaped like the Union's primary logo). Several foods are provided by local companies such as Turkey Hill , Herr's Snacks and Seasons Pizza, while beers from local breweries such as Victory and Dogfish Head are also available. Like the South Philadelphia Sports Complex ,
2183-680: The game, as well as the Inter-Ac title, capping off a perfect 23–0 season. From 2019 to 2023, the Premier Lacrosse League hosted several matches at Subaru Park. Major League Ultimate had hosted two of its annual championship games at Subaru Park. The first was on July 19, 2014, when the DC Current defeated the Vancouver Nighthawks 23–17. The stadium again hosted the championship on August 8, 2015, in which
2242-534: The highest ranking on Interior Design magazine's “Top 100 Giants” list. Gensler was included among Glassdoor's Best Places to Work 2020. The National Center for Employee Ownership named Gensler the 21st largest employee-owned company in the U.S. on the NCEO 2020 Employee Ownership 100. The AIA Committee on the Environment named three Gensler projects winners of the COTE Top Ten Awards, recognizing
2301-468: The land and the stadium itself, while the team owns the naming rights based on their approval of a 30-year lease. The newly formed Delaware County Sports Authority pays the county's share of $ 30 million through taxes from the Harrah's Chester harness racing track and casino. An additional $ 80 million was contributed by private investors. On January 31, 2008, Pennsylvania's state government unveiled
2360-415: The latter is generally disfavored for soccer matches since players are more susceptible to injuries. However, some soccer specific stadiums, such as Portland's Providence Park and Creighton University's Morrison Stadium , do have artificial turf. The seating capacity is generally between 18,000 and 30,000 for a Major League Soccer franchise, or smaller for college or minor league soccer teams. This
2419-707: The launch of the Gensler Product Sustainability (GPS) Standards. Starting in January 2024, the standards will be required for all Gensler projects in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. At COP28, Gensler partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to jointly expand low-carbon building certification and access to green finance. Gensler was awarded the Architecture Firm Award in 2000 by
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2478-612: The lower tier state league clubs own their own venues which also qualify as soccer specific. Gensler Gensler is a global design and architecture firm headquartered in San Francisco , California. It is the largest architecture firm in the world by revenue and number of architects. In 2022, Gensler generated $ 1.785 billion in revenue, the most of any architecture firm in the U.S. As of late 2023, Gensler operated offices in 53 cities in 17 countries worldwide, working for clients in over 100 countries. Art Gensler founded
2537-437: The naming rights holder for the stadium, the Union replaced the previous video board above the Chester End with a new 3,440 sq ft (320 m) high dynamic range (HDR) video board that was the first of its kind in an MLS soccer-specific stadium. The LED ribbon boards around the field and seating bowl were also upgraded. A new VIP premium area called the "Tunnel Club" opened for the 2020 season as well. The area outside
2596-538: The nascent club's supporters, the Union's ownership group, Keystone Sports & Entertainment, re-designed a specific entrance for the Sons of Ben supporters group in recognition of their loyalty. This entrance leads into a 2,000-seat section at the southeast end of the stadium reserved specifically for the group known as The River End. Cantilevered roofs run above the Main and Bridge Stands and were designed to protect fans from
2655-584: The pandemic has reshaped urban life. In 1990, Gensler established Gensler University, the firm's chief platform for leadership development. Subsequently, the firm established the Diversity Scholarship, a juried program that recognizes emerging talent among African-American college students enrolled in an accredited architectural program, and the Gensler Brinkmann Scholarship Fund, which was established in 1999 as
2714-490: The sidelines, soccer-specific venues typically have the front row closer to the level of the pitch. In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, first-division professional soccer leagues in the United States, such as the North American Soccer League and Major League Soccer, primarily used American football fields, many of which were oversized in terms of seating capacity and undersized in terms of the width of
2773-515: The soccer field; they often used artificial turf (none of which, at the time, were approved for international soccer under FIFA rules). Although many of the baseball parks had smaller capacities, natural grass, and a wider field, these parks were generally in use during summer, when North American–based soccer leagues, such as Major League Soccer, also hold their seasons, and the irregular field dimensions and sightlines were often considered undesirable. Soccer-specific stadiums first came into use in
2832-633: The southern states means that unlike in New South Wales and Queensland , rectangular stadiums and grounds capable of hosting top level A-League soccer are rare. Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, South Australia is an example of such a soccer-specific stadium, being built in the 1960s and progressively updated, the vast majority of matches played there are soccer, with very rare Rugby League or Rugby Union games. The Wyndham City Stadium and Wyndham Regional Football Facility are also examples. Many of
2891-592: The stadium is located near Interstate 95 . It is approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Chester Transportation Center SEPTA station, where shuttle service is provided from four hours prior to kickoff and from full-time until the park is empty. Philadelphia International Airport is 5 miles (8.0 km) away. Proposals to improve transit service to Highland Avenue station on the SEPTA Wilmington Line or build
2950-830: The stadium known as "Subaru Plaza" was expanded to facilitate pregame festivities and a new community garden to grow fruits and vegetables for the local community. On February 25, 2010, the Philadelphia Union announced that the Allentown -based PPL Corporation purchased the naming rights to its home venue for $ 20 million over 11 years. As part of the deal, PPL EnergyPlus provides the stadium with sustainable energy derived from other sources in Pennsylvania. The Panasonic Corporation provides broadcast and television production systems, large-screen LED displays, security systems, and point-of-sale systems. On November 30, 2015, Talen Energy assumed naming rights and energy supply of
3009-824: The stadium on September 16, 2017. This was the second English premiership game hosted in the US and Saracens' second visit after London Irish hosted them at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey on March 12, 2016 . The first college football game played at Subaru Park was the Battle of the Blue on November 19, 2011, in which Delaware beat Villanova to earn the trophy for the first time. These same two teams met again on November 23, 2013, with Villanova beating Delaware 35–34. The stadium hosted two quarterfinal matches in
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#17327802473633068-462: The stadium. Talen Energy spun off as an electricity producer from PPL which in turn concentrated on transmission and distribution aspects. On February 18, 2020, Subaru of America , whose headquarters are in Philadelphia's neighboring city Camden, New Jersey , was announced as the new naming rights holder for the stadium. In September 2010, Mid-Atlantic Construction Magazine named the stadium
3127-652: The state of New Jersey fell through in 2006. In late 2006, a group of investors led by longtime MLS executive Nick Sakiewicz initiated the planning for a soccer-specific stadium in Chester after the funding for the Rowan project failed to pass the New Jersey legislature. After many months of negotiations, Delaware County politicians announced their approval of funding for the stadium in October 2007. Delaware County owns
3186-430: The tournament returned to the venue in 2017 . The first set of matches of the 2017 SheBelieves Cup was played at the stadium, in which France beat England and the United States beat Germany . When the initial architectural drawings were revealed, the stadium was to have been an oval-shaped stadium with a cantilevered roof covering all seating areas – not unlike most European football grounds. After consulting with
3245-414: The tournament. Subaru Park hosted its first rugby union international on November 9, 2013, when the Maori All Blacks squared off against the United States . A sold-out crowd of 18,500 witnessed a hard-fought match in which the visiting Maori All Blacks won 29–19. It was announced on May 17, 2017, that English side Newcastle Falcons would play their home Premiership Rugby game against Saracens at
3304-443: The “World’s Most Innovative Companies 2021” as one of the 10 Most Innovative Companies in Architecture. Fast Company ranked Gensler among the 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021, recognizing the firm's new proprietary NFORM Ecosystem. Engineering News-Record ranked Gensler as the #1 Top Green Design Firm for six consecutive years, from 2016-2021. The firm was second in the latest ranking in September 2022. The firm regained
3363-398: Was BMO Field in Toronto , home to Toronto FC . This stadium was renovated to accommodate Canadian football for the 2016 and subsequent seasons. The distinction is less prominent in Canada, where MLS's attendance figures are comparable to those of the domestic Canadian Football League , and the CFL's wider field means fewer compromises must be made to accommodate both; Tim Hortons Field
3422-450: Was built purposely to both soccer specifications and CFL regulations. Of the three Canadian cities that host both MLS and CFL teams, only one (Montreal) has separate stadiums for each. All USL Championship teams and USL League One teams will be required to play in self-owned, soccer-specific stadiums by the 2022 season. The following is a list of current USL stadiums that are soccer-specific stadiums: The term "football-specific stadium"
3481-408: Was constructed by T.N. Ward Company, which is based in Ardmore . The project is the result of combined commitments of $ 30 million from Delaware County and $ 47 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . Subaru of America is the stadium's naming rights sponsor. Major League Soccer (MLS) had been interested in entering the Philadelphia market for several years, with many promises of
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