On Agate Street in Eugene, construction crews have been working long days, through snow and rain, to build the new Hayward Field. About seven months from completion, the grandeur of the structure is starting to sink in.
The ribs of the Hayward Field roof cage are impressive, dominating the southeast corner of campus. Walking into the venue emphasizes the impact.
Van Horne: “When you get in here you feel the environment a little bit more, you actually see the heroic nature of the architecture, but also the intimacy of it, that first row of seating is at track level.”
Todd Van Horne is a Creative Director at Nike. He says designing a stadium solely for track and field allowed them to sweep the bowl asymmetrically and make more seating in the finish line area. He says they plan to host the Pac 12 Track and Field meet in May:
Van Horne: “That’s obviously weather dependent and schedule dependent, but that’s what we’re really shooting for and everybody’s confident at this point.”
Van Horne declined to give details on the budget, citing the generosity of Phil and Penny Knight. He did acknowledge that the project is within the bounds of its budget.
