Are Retro Ballparks a Thing of the Past?

Twenty years ago, Oriole Park at Camden Yards began a revolution in baseball stadium design when it opened in downtown Baltimore. Two decades onward, Mark Byrnes asks if the retro ballpark movement is officially over.

1 minute read

April 2, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


When it opened in 1992, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, designed by HOK Sport, was novel in its throwback quirks. "With a 19th century warehouse for a backdrop, a pedestrian walkway that respects the pre-existing street grid, and exposed, dark green painted steel beams, Camden Yards instantly became the model for the perfect urban ballpark," notes Byrnes.

With clubs across the country clamoring for new digs after decades of moribund ballpark construction, Oriole Park's successes spawned at least a dozen imitators. Byrne sees Citi Field in New York, home to the Mets, which opened in 2009, as the last of the retro-classic ballparks.

In its place, and represented by the newest sign of changing tastes opening on Wednesday in Miami, are modern stadiums that take their design cue from contemporary trends and embrace progressive, less familiar, forms.

With the retro craze seemingly coming to a close, Byrnes presents a slide show of every new stadium to debut since 1992, many of which were strongly influenced by Camden Yards.

Friday, March 30, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA