The project focuses on creating inclusive, accessible, and easy-to-navigate spaces for players of all abilities.
The project focuses on creating inclusive, accessible, and easy-to-navigate spaces for players of all abilities.
The design seamlessly integrates functionality with aesthetics throughout the complex to create a cohesive visual identity that also fulfills practical needs such as navigation and usability.
Asakura Robinson combined function and aesthetics to create a sports field complex for the Challenger Little League Ballpark, including four baseball fields, two softball fields, and two “specialized inclusive” fields. The resulting design is welcoming and accessible for players of all abilities. Careful selection and consistent use of materials throughout the site create a cohesive language that allows users to easily navigate through the complex. Contrasting and complementary colors of green and red are utilized in the fields and in the plaza centrally located between the four baseball fields. The red infield soil color is mimicked in the plaza with integrally colored concrete and score patterns. The concrete pattern is reminiscent of the pitcher’s mound infield and visually connects the four central fields. The “specialized inclusive” fields are designed for differently abled players. They include innovative ball field features such as wheelchair-accessible dugouts and rubberized surfaces at baselines, pitcher’s mounds, and plates for those with mobility devices. High visual and tonal contrast clearly define these spaces marked on the surface, with no raised obstacles. These features create a unique and beautiful place for players and families to participate in and enjoy baseball and softball games.
