US bank stadium in minneapolis prepares to host super bowl LII

when minneapolis hosts super bowl LII this weekend, 111 million pairs of eyes will be on U.S. bank stadium. the arena, designed by HKS, has been home to the minnesota vikings since 2016 and was awarded the best completed sport building at the 2017 world architecture festival. the stadium anchors the city’s ‘big build’ plan, which will bring more than $2 billion USD worth of investment to downtown minneapolis by 2025. the initiative includes dozens of projects that will create a new neighborhood, east town, which seeks to catalyze a more walkable, transit-friendly neighborhood.

all images by nic lehoux, unless otherwise stated

significantly, U.S. bank was the first stadium in the country to feature a clear ETFE roof, which fills the stadium with natural light even on overcast days. as the vikings’ former home — the metrodome — collapsed under the weight of snow in 2010, HKS designed the roof to shed snow. the outer layer of ETFE foil is printed with a silver frit that deflects sunlight and melts snow, while the roof’s steep pitch not only helps snow slide into an enormous snow-melting gutter, but also references scandinavian architecture.

the stadium holds a capacity crowd of 66,655

the stadium’s roof panels are made from three layers of ETFE foil with air supply units that maintain a minimum pressure. held in place by an aluminum frame connected to the steel brackets of the roof, the triple layering helps control the thermal needs of the stadium. to maximize the feeling of being outdoors, U.S. bank features the largest glass pivoting doors in the world (55 feet wide and 95 feet tall — 17×29 meters), where 70% of fans enter. the doors remain open on warm days, bringing natural air into the stadium, while on cold days, much smaller entrance doors embedded in the glass are used.

around 111 million pairs of eyes will be on U.S. bank stadium for super bowl LII