Houston, Texas
The Rice Owls' two trips to the College World Series in 1997 and 1998 and a No. 1 national ranking over much of the 1999 season generated the need for a new, state-of-the-art ballpark that could boost recruiting, attract NCAA regional tournaments and accommodate the growing community interest in college baseball. Responding to the tradition of Rice University's brick and stone Romanesque and Byzantine revival architectural style, the project used these materials, along with blue and white glazed brick, in functional and decorative ways to create interesting and memorable visual effects. The stadium provides shaded cover for many of the 3,300 permanent chairback seats, and it houses concessions, restrooms, a gift shop and other public use facilities under its vaulted concourses. The Reckling Park Baseball Stadium includes coaches offices, a reception area, a trainer's room, locker rooms for home and visiting teams as well as umpires, an extensive press box area for television, radio and newspaper reporters, hospitality areas, eight luxury boxes, a weight training room, and air-conditioned practice hitting and pitching areas. With the outfield bleachers, the stadium's total capacity exceeds 5,000.
The project was designed and constructed in 12 months and required the relocation and addition of intramural and NCAA competition tennis courts.