KATIE SEASHOLE PRESSLY STADIUM, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, Gainesville
RETROFIT TEAM
ARCHITECT: Walker Architects
ROOFING INSTALLER: Thorne Metal Systems, (904) 284-4353
MATERIALS
The renovated stadium features all the latest amenities, but its design pays homage to the school’s earlier days. The facility’s steep-sloped metal roof in a signature orange-red finish is a clear reference to the buildings surrounding the stadium, and it also frames an impressive gateway into the ballpark’s confines.
“The university is known for its Collegiate Gothic architecture and high-pitch, orange-red gable roofs,” says Joe Walker, AIA, president of Walker Architects. “This project ran with the roof as the character-defining element of the exterior, and the final design is a direct nod to the Collegiate Gothic style.”
The Collegiate Gothic roots clearly are seen in the stadium’s signature entryway. In addition to tying the stadium to the surrounding campus, this 2-story structure elevated on brick columns makes a statement for fans—as well as Gator opponents.
“From a fan’s perspective, the geometry of the roof signals the entryway and frames the impressive—and, for a visiting team, intimidating—first glimpse of the field,” Walker says. “For a player, when you look at the elevation of the facility from the field, the central gable is a centerpiece positioned directly over home plate.”
Although officially a “renovation” because the original 1996 field wasn’t altered, the upgraded facility has been largely rebuilt to include a new locker room, lounge training room and press box. According to Walker, the $15 million project is a tribute to the work Head Coach Tim Walton has done building the team into a national presence since joining the school in 2006. Since 2008, the Gators have made it to the Women’s College World Series eight times and have earned national titles twice.
Walker says metal roof panels were an obvious choice to create a visual link to the classic clay tiles that top many of the university’s older structures. “It was the product with the best look for the project price point and, aesthetically, it fit in well in this area of campus,” he says. “Plus, it has the benefit of being low-maintenance and, importantly, it does a great job of keeping water out.”
The architect specified 10,300 square feet of Petersen’s Tite-Loc Plus in a Terra Cotta finish for the project. He says the choice of this particular profile was aided by advice from the company’s technical staff. “It was Petersen that suggested we use the Tite-Loc Plus product with striations, knowing it would be a better product for our project with respect to minimizing oil canning and damage from potential impacts,” Walker recalls.
Thorne Metal Systems handled the roof installation, which posed a few challenges, according to company Office Manager Cody Thorne. “It was a particularly tight site; we could only work around the perimeter because [other crews] were working on the field,” he says, adding that the roof’s steep slope also called for some extra attention. “It was 10:12, so a little more caution and safety were involved.”
TITE-LOC PLUS IN TERRA COTTA: Petersen
PHOTOS: Matt Horton