Category: Technology

For Immediate Release: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Makes a Pitch for the Future

Media Contact:
Michaela Simpson
Pendulum Studio LLC
Michaela.simpson@pendulumkc.com
(816) 335-3030

Kansas City Based Architecture and Design Firm, Pendulum Studio in Partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Just Released an Innovative Design Concept for the Nation’s Only Negro Leagues Campus

Kansas City, MO – May 4, 2023 – As an architect having a meaningful role in 29 ballparks and counting since 1995, Pendulum’s founding principal and CEO Jonathan O’Neil Cole has an undeniable expertise in the ballpark building type and a passion for the game of baseball.

When Cole spent time with the great Buck O’Neil in 2005 as documented by our recent story “Hanging with Mr. Buck O’Neil”, it is evident Buck made a major impression on how Cole sees the game. Fast-forward to May 2, 2023 when the who’s who of Kansas City including Congressman Emanuel Cleaver; Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas; Frank White Jr., Jackson County Executive; Kathy Nelson, President & CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission; and John Sherman, Chairman & CEO Kansas City Royals gathered at the NLBM Field of Legends to unveil an innovative new vision for a Negro Leagues Campus designed by Pendulum Studio and announce the award of a $1 million grant from Bank of America by Matt Linski, president, Bank of America Kansas City, the crowd went wild!

The new state of the art facility will be built adjacent to the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center (BOERC) which will now be housed in the former Paseo YMCA. That historic building is where Andrew “Rube” Foster established the Negro Leagues in 1920. With help from the anchor grant, the new NLBM, in combination with the BOERC, will create a “Negro Leagues Campus” that will become the gateway into Kansas City’s famed Historic 18th & Vine District.

Pendulum CEO Jonathan O’Neil Cole Speaking at the NLBM Press Conference

“I’ve designed quite a few ballparks over the tenure of my career. After founding Pendulum in 2007 there’s not a day that passes without something related to baseball being on my drafting table. The opportunity for my firm to lead the way in not only honoring the history of the game, especially as it relates to the African American experience and the legends of the past, but to also look ahead to the future through innovation, technology, and design is an incredible honor and weighty responsibility – we are very appreciative of Mr. Kendrick and the NLBM Board’s confidence in Pendulum as this project gets underway,” said Cole.

The images below are a very brief glimpse of the collaborative design process that has taken place to date between NLBM stakeholders and Pendulum. There is still plenty of work to be done. As the project progresses there will be much more to see so stay tuned!

For More Information

Please visit the NLBM “Pitch for the Future” landing page for a showcase of the Pendulum virtual reality design and an opportunity to donate to this worthy cause.

About Pendulum

Hanging With Mr. Buck O’Neil

This short story illustrates how inspiration feeds design

The Light

Our CEO Jonathan O’Neil Cole had the privilege of hanging with Mr. Buck O’Neil and Mr. Bob Kendrick at the 2005 Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX – It was a day he’ll never forget!

This is the story of how Buck’s light shined so bright that it inspired a chain reaction of events that continue to resonate 17 years later. Pendulum’s collaboration with Mr. Sean Kane on the Buck O’Neil tribute painted glove was incredibly special. The images below are the illustrator’s design notes as we progressed through the process of design.

In addition to the Buck O’Neil Tribute Glove, Pendulum commissioned Sean Kane to paint a tribute to Hank Greenberg pictured below.

The Look Ahead

While many organizations use this time of year to reflect on past accomplishments, Pendulum’s focus is straight ahead. We are committed to more dynamic collaborations with incredibly talented and passionate creatives. Stay tuned for several major announcements first quarter 2023.

Acknowledgments

Pendulum Celebrates 15 Years of Innovation

On July 1, 2022 Pendulum celebrated 15 years in the architectural and design marketplace. We’ve been labeled a lot of things over the years, our favorites include “disruptors”, “innovators”, and “market challengers”. More than anything we are incredibly thankful for our mentors, collaborators, families, and staff for supporting our award winning progress over the years. We invite you to enjoy our 15 year video below as a few of our Pendulum family members discuss our 15 year milestone and where they see us headed in the future.

Pendulum stakeholders and collaborators discuss their 15 year milestone

Stay tuned for weekly announcements every Friday in July. We have a lot to share about the next chapter in our history. For a recap of past celebrations starting at year 10: @pendulum_kc

Credits

  • Videographer – John Iiams, Pendulum
  • Video Edit – Joshua Williams, Behr Production
  • Original Music Score – Joshua Williams, Behr Production
  • Logo Design – Jake McClure, Pendulum

For Immediate Release – Pendulum’s Montreal Excitation Concept Wins RTF 2020 International Design Award

November 4, 2020

https://awards.re-thinkingthefuture.com/acda2020-winners/montreal-excitation-expo-67-island-by-pendulum-studio/

Pendulum is honored to share that our Montreal Excitation concept, a ballpark, practice facility, and concert venue has been awarded a Rethinking The Future (@Rthinkingfuture) ACDA 2020 First Award for Sports & Recreation Concept.

Pendulum’s concept is sited on the historic 1967 World’s Fair Island in Montreal Quebec Canada. This fact offered a significant challenge: how do we respect the historical significance of the site while embracing the beautiful natural topography and pay homage to the signature architecture that surrounds it?

Montreal Excitation Site Plan

Challenge Accepted

One of the stated goals of our concept is to provide site connectivity both physically and visually. Pedestrian plazas, walking trails, boat docking areas, and concourse breezeways create connection to adjacent site features. Because of the interruption of the angular extrusions in the building facade individuals within the facility are allowed to look out and view adjacent iconic architecture and landscape.

Many thanks to Rethinking The Future and the Jury Panel for their hard work and consideration. It is humbling and an absolute honor to be recognized by our international design peers.

RTF Awards Invites Architects and Interior Designers from across the World to submit their Built/Concept Projects

“Rethinking The Future Awards program aims to bring exceptional works in the field of Architecture the prestige they deserve. The objective of these awards is to raise awareness around the strategies Architects and Designers are employing to deal with the contemporary global challenges, and to bring the best of such projects into the light to inspire the next generation”

Contrasting Night & Day Rendering From Island Shore

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The Grill Nation Show Preview – Next up: Jason Grill & Pendulum’s Jonathan Cole

The Grill Nation Show featuring Jason Grill and Jonathan Cole will air on Saturday July 11, 2020 on KMBZ 980AM and on iTunes.  In this clip Cole answers the question “what is your favorite stadium (that you didn’t work on) and why?”  It is just a sneak peek of the full conversation that goes into detail about Pendulum’s history, inspirations, emotional muscle memory, and design methodology.

Be sure to tune in on Saturday…this will be a lot of fun!

 

Public Assembly Spaces Post COVID-19, Brief Thoughts on a Path Forward

 

For Immediate Release – Pendulum Thinks It’s Time For A New Downtown Royals Ballpark

Click this hyperlink to visit our interactive model at www.kansascitylovestheroyals.com

Design Review – Crosstown Substation

As designers and curators of space, sometimes it takes time for our vision and intent to be fully realized in the built environment.  This can happen because the resources required to execute the vision aren’t available, or it could be that the stakeholders we originally sold on the design are no longer in place.  Unfortunately at times our vision isn’t fully realized because we didn’t clearly communicate our intent loud enough so that those that need to hear it get it.   As we take this moment to recognize projects from our past and present we think Crosstown Substation completed in 2013 warrants a mention as one of the most underutilized and unrecognized projects in Kansas City.

Pendulum was presented with the challenge of creating an architectural buffer between pedestrian traffic and high voltage electrical equipment that occupies an entire city block at the intersection of 18th Street and Holmes in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, MO.  Our solution ornamentally wrapped Zahner Solanum Weathering Steel around white concrete panels designed to display projected still and motion video (see image of full size mock up below).  A kinetic display of light was designed by artist Jim Woodfill to interact with the patterned weathering steel to create splashes of color and programmed motion.

Although the static white painted concrete panels that surround the substation survived several years without significant graffiti, sadly due to low traffic and the absence of curated projected art, we’ve seen an increase of vandalism over the past two years.  As we transition from winter to spring and the kick off of First Fridays in the Crossroads we’d love to see the substation utilized to its full potential and as intended.  Our vision for Crosstown Substation is a hub of pedestrian activity, a backdrop for local digital art, films, fashion shows, automotive gatherings, community events, cultural gatherings, concerts, etc.  The videos included in this blog represent a small cross section of what can be, hopefully a planted seed that one day blossoms into something much larger.  Stay tuned…this could be good!

For a virtual tour of our design click the link: Crosstown Substation Tour

 

 

Brewery Emperial Web Interactive Launch

 

Brewery Emperial is one of those projects that is best described by experiencing it.  The next time you’re in the Kansas City Creative Crossroads be sure to stop in a grab a pint, let it all soak in.  In fact…call us we’ll meet you there and have a pint of that good brew too.

Click the rotating image above to take the virtual tour of the project.  Stay tuned for upcoming announcements, more projects will be added.

Congrats To The Macon Bacon On A Great Season!!!

The Macon Bacon – members of the Coastal Plains League, have now completed two seasons in Historic Luther Williams Field located in Macon, GA.  Pendulum was the lead designer and architect of record for the project  completed in the spring of 2018.

The Bacon advanced all the way to the final round of the playoffs this season competing for the Petitt Cup.  Although they lost to the Morehead City Marlins in the final game of the series, the Bacon played a spectacular season providing unparalleled entertainment for their community and fans.

In honor of the Macon Bacon’s great 2019 season we have chosen Luther Williams Field as our next web interactive launch.

Click the rotating image above to take the virtual tour of the project.  Stay tuned for upcoming announcements, more projects will be added.

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