Rendezvous Park at Busch Stadium

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Project Overview / The Challenge:

After the new Busch Stadium opened in 2006, the former site of Old Busch Stadium remained a barren expanse, a "scar on the urban landscape". The ambitious "Ballpark Village" development stalled, leaving a void where vitality had been promised. The challenge was to envision an interim solution that would breathe life into this dormant site, honor St. Louis’ storied baseball history, and connect the new stadium to the downtown area.

Our Approach / The PIERI Solution:

Conceived by Vincent and Dan Pieri, "Rendezvous Park" was an imaginative installation designed to weave the rich tapestry of St. Louis baseball into the architectural remnants of Old Busch Stadium. The concept was as much about honoring the past as it was about envisioning the future, creating a narrative journey through the city's baseball history. The design embraced the arc of the old stadium’s Northern foundation as its backbone.

Key Design Features / Innovations:

• Exhibition Arcade: The arc of the old stadium’s Northern foundation was transformed into an exhibition arcade, showcasing stories of the St. Louis Browns, the 1960s Cardinals, and the Busch Memorial Stadium era.
• Tensile Membrane Canopy: A repetitive modular tensile membrane canopy arched overhead, evoking the iconic arched concrete overhang of Busch Memorial Stadium, which itself paid homage to Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch.
• "Field of Dreams" Sculpture Park: A baseball-diamond-shaped sculpture park featuring bronze statues of St. Louis legends like Rogers Hornsby, Mickey Mantle, and Dizzy Dean, inviting visitors to walk among them.
• Tree-Lined Pathways: Paths extending from Rendezvous Park to the new Busch Stadium, acting as transitional and gathering places that gently guide fans and visitors into the world of St. Louis baseball history, providing a cool, serene environment that softens urban surroundings.

Anticipated Outcomes & Aspirations:

Though an unbuilt concept, Rendezvous Park was envisioned as a living celebration of St. Louis baseball history, transforming an underutilized site into a vibrant connection between downtown and the new stadium. It aimed to interweave the legacy of Old Busch Stadium with the aspirations of a new era, serving as a poignant example of how architecture can tell stories, bridge generations, and reimagine urban outdoor spaces to honor the past while inspiring the future.