DESIGN OF PARK AND RECREATION AREAS 



153 



enough for laying out a polo field. The average stadium has a total playing 

 area sufficient to amply accommodate the conventional quarter-mile running 

 track. 



The general design of the seating plan, which is one of the most char- 

 acteristic features of stadiums, follows closely in plane outline the design 

 of the running track. The seating plan may be so designed as to enclose 

 entirely the playing area, to enclose two sides and one end, or two sides, 

 leaving both ends open. Some 

 so-called stadiums have a seat- 

 ing deck along one side only. In 

 order to secure a two hundred 

 twenty-yard straight-way in a 

 stadium enclosed entirely by the 

 seat decks it is generally neces- 

 sary to tunnel through the seat 

 tiers at one end. 



The determining factor in 

 the design of the seating plan is 

 visibility for the spectator, which 

 requires that the seats be con- 

 structed in steplike tiers and be 

 grouped so that as many as pos- 

 sible of the spectators have the 

 best possible view of the activi- 

 ties on the field. Most of the 

 stadium seat decks have been 

 constructed on a uniform plane around the playing area. It is suggested 

 that more attention be given to the design of the seating plan with 

 respect to visibility than has hitherto been the case. Unfortunately, in 

 general purpose stadiums it is not entirely possible to satisfy the best 

 requirements for viewing baseball on the one hand and football and track 

 and field sports on the other. The most desirable points for viewing foot- 

 ball are on either side of the field opposite the center. It so happens that 

 a stadium well designed for viewing football or soccer is also efficient for 

 viewing track and field sports. 



For viewing baseball the vantage points of visibility differ decidedly 

 from the best points for viewing football. Because of orientation and in 

 order to secure sufficient playing areas the location of the diamond must 

 be at an angle at one end of the arena. Spectators, in general, prefer seats 

 along the first base line, next behind home plate and next along the third 

 base line. If baseball were viewed by as large crowds as generally attend 



PLATE No. 60 



ILLUSTRATING ONE USE OF A LARGE 



STADIUM OTHER THAN FOR 



COMPETITIVE ATHLETICS 



Five thousand school children participating in a 

 Field Day, Tacoma Public School Stadium, Tacoma, 

 Washington. This stadium is an example of the use of a 

 natural slope for the support of seat tiers. The concrete 

 amphitheatre seats 40,000 people and the record attend- 

 ance is reported to be more than 60,000. 



