Austin, Texas, USA

“To me, sports is about bringing people together: bringing people together on the field, that teamwork and that chemistry, and bringing the fan base together in a venue, the energy and excitement that creates,” states Jonathan Emmett, design director of Gensler Sports.

Jonathan Emmett of Gensler alongside Precourt Sports Ventures has designed Q2 Stadium, a modern stadium and soccer park that brings fans and visitors together on gamedays and non-gamedays in a venue that reflects the ethos of the city and Austin’s unique vibe.

Seeking to create a transformative hub that would spur community and economic growth, Austin FC partnered with the City of Austin to transform a brownfield site into a 365-day stadium experience.

 The Q2 Stadium has recently been awarded a 2022 American Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

With the integration of diverse programming, community partnership, and resilient design strategies, Q2 Stadium fully personifies Austin’s identity as a city, while aligning with its plans to grow a more united and sustainable community.

To achieve Austin’s come-as-you-are ethos, distinct areas, or “neighborhoods,” are instilled around the stadium, each with its own unique character and amenities.

The stadium’s north building is home to the two-story, 5,000-square-foot Verde Store, selling a wide variety of apparel. Connected to the store is a beer hall open to the public before matches — which can also serve as a community gathering place.

Food vendors are stationed throughout the stadium and feature more than a dozen local Austin businesses, as well as markets with “grab and go” options.

Q2 Stadium also has the ability to host musical acts in areas such as the amphitheater located outside the Captain Morgan Club, a 700-member venue that opens to everyone with a match ticket following the game.

The inclusion of individual club spaces allows the stadium to provide different environments for different experiences. All club spaces can be rented out for business or social events.

Complimenting a bold transit plan that includes a new rail system, a downtown transit tunnel, and an expanded bus system, Q2 Stadium provides community members with an on-site metro station that will serve as a catalyst for surrounding transit-oriented development.

Traffic, sound, and light studies were conducted to ensure the development complies with all standards and regulations.

By electing to build on a brownfield site, Austin has transformed an underserved area into an economic gem with local developments and businesses flourishing around it.

Q2 Stadium earned LEED Gold Certification, making it the first Major League Soccer stadium to use Whole Building Life Cycle Analysis to environmentally optimize its structure and enclosure and reduce embodied carbon.

Resilient design elements include indoor water use reduction, enhanced site water quality, rainwater management, and optimal energy performance.

Available for use year-round, the stadium gives back eight acres of open green space to the neighborhood that includes walking trails, community gathering space, and an outdoor amphitheater.

At completion, Q2 Stadium is perfectly positioned to reunite the community in this 365-day destination that promotes inclusivity, creativity, and pride in one’s city.

Project: Q2 Stadium
Architects: Gensler
Lead Architect: Jonathan Emmett
Associate Architect:
General Contractor: Austin Commercial
Client: Precourt Sports Ventures
Photographers: Ryan Gobuty