University of Texas at Austin, Moody Center
Austin, Texas

More Than a Sports Venue

Moody Center has become more than a center for sports and entertainment. It’s a physical celebration of the creativity, community, and culture that Austin is known for.
HIGHLIGHTS
  • 15,000+ Seat Arena
  • New Entertainment District Anchor
  • LEED Gold Certified
  • 26% Energy Savings
  • 95% Less Waste Through Reuse
  • Low-Water Use Plumbing
  • 2023 AIA Design Merit Award
  • 2023 Architizer A+Awards Finalist
Challenge

Today’s student athletes, fans, and community members are demanding more from their on-campus sports venues. Stand-alone, single-use facilities are being replaced by multi-use arenas and entertainment districts. At the same time, universities are embracing opportunities to partner with cities to create innovation districts. These vibrant, mixed-use developments attract business and talent and boost the local economy through a mix of higher education, housing, live music, medicine, retail, and sports.

Solution

Gensler partnered with Oak View Group, CAA ICON, Live Nation, and C3 to create a new 15,000-seat basketball arena for the University of Texas that also acts as an anchor for a new mixed-use innovation district that includes the school’s medical campus. The arena and its adjacent plaza can adapt and scale to different events, from a more intimate live show for 5,000 people to a game or concert for more than 15,000 fans.

Impact

Moody Center helps improve the urban fabric of central Austin by establishing a new relationship between the University of Texas and the city at large. Designed to be more than just a game-day venue, the facility engages students, athletes, and the community as an emblem of the type of innovation and creativity for which the city and university want to be known. The venue has become a cultural and community anchor for a larger innovation district that will increase revenue opportunities and attract students and talent for years to come.

A group of people watching a basketball game.
This is my 21st arena. It’s the best dollar for dollar design and value I’ve ever seen of any arena anywhere in the country.
—Tim Leiweke, CEO Oak View Group
A group of people standing in a room with a large poster.
A large group of people in a large building.
A person and a child walking by a building with a large sign.
A group of people in a large room with tables and chairs.
Areas of Expertise
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Related Work
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