AMANDA TRIMBLE
Studio Design Leader, Sports & Entertainment; Vice President |HKS
It’s always a bonus when a designer gets to experience the fruits of their labor first hand.
For HKS vice president Amanda Trimble, this meant attending a Los Angeles Rams game in a suite she designed at SoFi Stadium.
“It was a very cool experience to sit in a space I spent years bringing to life,” Trimble said. “I was definitely the nerd in the room, touching everything and looking in all the cabinets.”
Probably one of Trimble’s most challenging projects was completing the adjoining YouTube Theater’s suite, where the design efforts had to be coordinated with existing structural conditions.
“[This project included] columns in not-ideal spaces, limitations on ceiling heights, etc. but honestly that’s half the fun. I love a good puzzle,” Trimble said. “Trying to create a premium experience with a massive column in the middle of a club is a challenge, to say the least.”
Trimble has always had a passion for design since even before she attended a performing and visual arts high school in Dallas.
Her customized approach has always been one of research and investigation into fans and culture and trying to understand what drives people to certain experiences.
“The more that this information-based approach to design comes to light, the richer our environments will be, sports or otherwise,” she said.
Growing up with technology and seeing how fast everything changes has made Trimble adapt much more quickly to new processes and ideas.
“In sports, that adaptability is key; every project wants the newest thing, bigger and better than the other guy, so we have to be hyper aware of the latest and greatest — from design aesthetics, to market trends, to consumer habits, to technology — all of it informs design and fan experience,” Trimble said.
In design, flexibility and adaptability are key across the board, both in work flow and project delivery as well as design conceptualization.
“The industry is changing and being nimble enough to not only react to current changes but to think forward to the future is paramount,” she noted. “The industry is just now realizing the potential of what AR, VR, social media and the Metaverse can do and how that ties to fan experience and revenue.”
