place: Utrecht
year: 2009
size: 7.775 m2
status: ongoing
client: UVV
team: Remko Remijnse, Rocco Reukema, Isabel Rivas

Baseball has become a popular sport in The Netherlands the last few years. Winning the 2011 world championship will contribute even more to its popularity.

Despite these recent positive developments and achievements the baseball facilities in The Netherlands are still far behind compared to sports like football or compared to the facilities in countries like the US. To attract and facilitate new talent baseball club UVV in Utrecht has asked 2by4-architects to design a new stadium and a new training complex.

The location of the new training facility faces a natural landscape on 1 side and faces the existing baseball fields on the other side. The training facility will partially be situated underground so that it will only create a small facade towards the natural landscape instead of becoming a massive object. From this facade, a green roof gently slopes down towards the baseball fields which will be used as a public space.

The stadium is to be built around the main baseball field. The stadium will start off as a small addition to space for spectators, press rooms, dressing rooms, lobby, shops and a VIP lounge. As the popularity of the sport and the club will grow the stadium will be able to expand and can become a full-size baseball stadium. This flexibility allows the club to grow at their own pace and adjust their facilities and cash flow accordingly.