Shaping the
Future of Football
Timed with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the KU School of Architecture & Design and the Keystone Innovation District trace how design, data and technology are transforming the game — at full architectural scale.
June - August
Keystone CoLAB
~30 Models
Every 2026 venue
16
Stadiums tied to KC
| The Exhibition
Football as a holistic ecosystem
From the urban scale of stadium infrastructure to the design of the fan experience, Shaping the Future of Football brings together interdisciplinary work from across KU’s design studios — and underscores Kansas City’s global role in sports architecture.
17
Sports & Leisure Studio capstone projects
4
Contributing KU design studios
16
World Cup host stadiums tied to KC firms or KU alumni
| Models and Data
Drawn here, built worldwide
Visitors encounter roughly 30 physical models of stadiums from around the world, including every 2026 World Cup venue. Produced with digital fabrication, each is paired with 3D urban data visualizations from spatial analytics research.
Together they reveal how a stadium sits within — and reshapes — the city around it. The exhibition is organized around a monumental thin-shell concrete structure, a reminder of architecture’s central role in how the game is experienced.
| What You'll Find
Three lenses on the game
Architecture
Stadiums and the urban infrastructure that surrounds them, at city scale.
Data
Spatial analytics and 3D urban visualizations that situate each venue in its context.
Experience
Wearables and interactive interfaces redefining the bond between athlete and spectator.
| Inside the Studios
Four studios, one ecosystem
Sports & Leisure
The Capstone Studio
17 projects · several years of research
Student-led design research on stadiums, districts and the architecture of play — the heart of the exhibition.
Designs - Build
Models and Structure
~30 fabricated models
The digitally fabricated stadium models and the monumental thin-shell concrete structure anchoring the show.
Interaction design
Athlete & Spectator
Wearables · live interfaces
Devices that capture real-time performance data and stadium interfaces that translate it into fan engagement.
Visual communication
Brand Identity
Full identity system
A complete brand identity for a future professional women’s soccer team in Atlanta.
| Featured Capstones
Three projects to look out for
01
An award-winning proposal for a new Chicago Fire stadium
Chicago, USA
02
A retrofit study of Serra Dourada Stadium
Goiâni,Brazil
03
A future NWSL stadium & entertainment district
Atlanta, USA
| Gallery
From the exhibition
| Opening presentation
“Kansas City has a seat at the table in shaping how the world experiences the game.”
Featuring presentations by KU faculty and
Ashley Loch — Creative Director, Dimensional Innovations & KU alumni
Vist the Exhibition
On view all summer
June – August 2026
Open to the public throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Keystone CoLAB in the East Crossroads. Free admission.
The exhibition features work from KU faculty and students, including a brand identity system created by Ashley Loch of Dimensional Innovations. Check ahead for visiting hours and any special programming.
| Made possible by
Our sponsors
Goodwill
Populous
HDR
Turner Construction
Gensler
Kiewit
DLR Group
Insperity
buildex
hok
ampere
hntb
Goodwill generously donated the Keystone CoLAB space where the exhibition is held.