NRG Stadium

Home to the Houston Texans, NRG Stadium became the first in the NFL to have a retractable roof when it opened in 2002. While the roof’s main function is to protect the crowd from the elements, when closed it creates an intimacy you’d usually only find in a large indoor arena, electrifying the atmosphere.

Year

2002
Total Capacity

72,200
Disciplines
- Architecture
- Interior Design
Collections

Populous designed the stadium’s facade to be as transparent as possible, installing large glass curtain walls that allow sunlight into the building. The same goes for the roof, which is made up of steel-hinged frames wrapped in a translucent fabric that allows in natural daylight, and acts as acoustic insulation, reflecting the noise of the Texans’ fans.

The designers also paid special attention to the playing surface, using an innovative grass porous pavement, which is ideal for football, but works well for soccer, too, and gives the stadium the flexibility to host events like the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo — the largest livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world. With two Super Bowls already under its belt, the NRG Stadium will host multiple matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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