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ArchDC Summer 2019.qxp_Spring 2019 5/22/19 2:57 PM Page 38

View of the pitch. At the beginning of a game, the
players emerge from the grade-level opening just
below the large DC United logo.

Interior of the Club Shop. Exterior of the Club Shop.

high-density mixed-use projects. “DCOP wanted to ensure that the Although Buzzard Point is Metro-accessible, neither of the
stadium’s presence would be beneficial to future developments,” two nearest stations (Waterfront and Navy Yard) is especially close.
noted Michael Marshall, AIA, whose firm, Marshall Moya Design The major entrances to Audi Field, accordingly, were placed to
(now known as Michael Marshall Design), was a local partner in minimize walking time. A new street (officially a rerouting of First
the project. “And they also homed in on an industrial aesthetic as Street, but dubbed “Audi Drive”) was added at the east side of the
appropriate to the history of Buzzard Point.” stadium to make the shortest possible pedestrian connection to a
It’s a neat trick, but the design team succeeded. The exposed two-million-square-foot development slated for a large site imme-
structure and form-follows-function character of Audi Field connects diately south of Audi Field. A bicycle valet station was provided to
authentically to the industrial past, while the stylish materials encourage that form of transportation and positioned at the south-
speak to the future. Breaking the facility into parts allowed the west corner of Audi Field, to vitalize that portion of the site.
scale and function of each piece to best suit its location—both DCOP also kept sustainability on the table. The design and
internally and with respect to present or future across-the-street construction teams achieved LEED Gold certification, relying
neighbors. The north and west sides are lower, relating better to on important-but-invisible points like “enhanced refrigerant
existing areas that are not expected to see much change, while the management,” water-efficient landscaping, ultra-low water usage,
east and south sides have retail storefronts ready to bolster the high-efficiency HVAC, and the like. Recently, however, the DC
mixed-use streetscapes of the future. United team (which owns the stadium; the city owns the land)

38 GOAL!