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First, it is necessary to say that the choice of Soldier Field as the site to construct a new “bowl” has been unfortunate for the architects, Lohan Caprile Goettch. The historic Beaux Arts spats under the 21st-century modern “bowl” creates an awkward relationship between Chicago’s past and its future that I hope will not become a precedent for token future Chicago preservation.
Specifically, the design is a unique and powerful expression of the realities of current public arenas where tens of thousands of fans can come together to share in sports and civic events with the best possible sight lines, comfort, amenities, and group participation. The old Soldier Field could never have placed so many seats as close to the field of action as this design. The old field created only one type of seating in an open arena, where this design optimizes several types of seating options within one unified bowl. The old Soldier Field could not possibly house the amount and type of amenities that fans, athletes, and teams do and will demand.
