Central and South America have emerged as rich sources of baseball talent, with the Dominican Republic at its core. Since the 1950s, Major League Baseball has actively nurtured talent in this region, establishing academies to scout and train promising young players.
Project Name: San Francisco Giants Felipe Alou Baseball Academy
Studio Name: jones | haydu
Architect of Record: JMF ArquitectosContractor: CCA Ing Cristian Ciccone y Asociados
Design Team: Hulett Jones, Paul Haydu
Master Planning: jones | haydu
Sustainability: WSP/Flack&Kurtz
Structural: Guillen Rosa & Asociados
Mechanical Engineer: Vinntec, S.R.L.
Electrical Engineer: Cadelec, S.R.L.
Graphic design (signage): The San Francisco Giants
Photography: Bruce Damonte
These academies not only hone their baseball skills but also provide education in subjects like English and home economics, preparing them for the demands of professional contracts. Ozzie Virgil made history as the first Dominican player signed to a Major League team when he joined the New York Giants in 1956. The Giants have deep roots in the Dominican Republic. The new Felipe Alou Baseball Academy reflects the baseball club’s dedication to the country and its players—a facility that stresses the importance of the country, the region, and its players to their team.
The facility’s design comprises two primary structures: an athletic building and a residential building. The 12,217-square-foot athletic building houses administrative offices, clubhouses, locker rooms, and training facilities, strategically positioned at the entrance with direct access and views of the baseball diamonds.
On the campus edge, the two-story, 27,423-square-foot residential building accommodates over 50 players and 8 coaches upstairs, while downstairs features a dining hall, classrooms, computer rooms, and lounges arranged around a central courtyard. A covered social space near the entry offers shelter from the Caribbean sun, reminiscent of traditional palapas.
The design prioritizes functionality and climate responsiveness, evident in features such as the fly roof, which provides extensive shading to combat the extremes of tropical heat. Reflecting local building practices, both structures employ concrete block construction within concrete frames, with finishes primarily sourced from the region, notably the historic Coralina limestone, known for its use in Colonial American architecture.
This fusion of modern functionality with regional aesthetics and climate sensitivity underscores the Giants’ commitment to the Dominican Republic and its baseball talent.
