About
Jonathan Cole is the founding principal of Pendulum Studio, a Kansas City, MO based architectural practice that specializes in the design and documentation of civic structures, multi-family housing, and sports facilities. Cole is responsible for national business development, design, and management of sports projects that range in value from five to fifty million dollars each. He has an eye for design that is complimented by his ability to realize in every project the potential to deliver long-term value to his clients and their stakeholders. Cole has developed an expertise in the development of community-oriented designs that foster environmental and economic sustainability. It is for this reason that Cole is considered one of the leading minds in the sports facility design world.
From a very young age Cole was groomed for leadership in the sports architecture marketplace. Cole graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic University Pomona, School of Environmental Design in 1995. He was immediately recruited by HNTB, a large Architectural/Engineering firm that specializes in the design of sports facilities. In early 1996 Cole was assigned to work as a staff architect on the major renovation of O.co Coliseum, the current home of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Oakland A’s and National Football League (NFL) Oakland Raiders franchises. Following the completion of both projects, Cole joined the design team tasked with renovating Oracle Arena, the current home of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Golden State Warriors franchise. Shortly after the completion of the Oracle Arena renovation, Cole was relocated by HNTB to their central division headquarters located in Kansas City, MO. His primary role was to lead design and development efforts on major and minor league ballparks. This move proved to be the catalyst for Cole’s growth and notoriety in the ballpark design marketplace.
Cole has led design efforts on over twenty-two minor league ballparks across the nation in the past 23 years. During this time he has worked in the capacity of market leader and project architect with a number of internationally recognized sports architecture firms including HNTB Corporation, Populous (formerly known as HOK), and 360 Architecture Inc. In May of 2007 Cole took his passion for the built environment, forward thinking business model and architectural pedigree and created Pendulum Studio, his own strategy-oriented and client-centered practice.
Since Pendulum’s launch in 2007, Cole has enjoyed a number of major accomplishments in the sports world. In June of 2010 the Normal Cornbelters, a Frontier League affiliated independent baseball team located approximately two hours south of Chicago, celebrated their inaugural season in a new twelve million dollar ballpark designed by Pendulum. Fast forward ten years and Pendulum completed Dunkin’ Donuts Park located in Hartford, CT that was awarded ballparkdigest.com “2017 Best Ballpark”, “2018 Best Ballpark,” baseballparks.com “2017 Ballpark of the Year”, Connecticut Magazine’s “2017 Best Place To Watch A Game,” Hartford Magazine “2018 Best Sports Venue,” and CSI-KC “2018 Excellence in Craftsmanship.”
Resume
Education
Bachelor of Architecture, 1995 – California Polytechnic University, Pomona
Certifications
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
Registrations
AL, AZ, CT, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, KS, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OR, RI, SC, TX, WI, VA, VT, and New Zealand
Memberships & Boards
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
Kansas City Architectural Foundation Pillars Leadership Program (2007)
Kansas City Automotive Museum Executive Leadership Board (2019)
Professional Pedigree
HNTB Corporation | 1995-2001
HOK Sport | 2001-2006
360 Architecture | 2006-2007
Pendulum | 2007-Present
Project Experience
Major League Baseball
*Oakland Coliseum – Oakland, CA
*Busch Stadium – St. Louis, MO
CoolToday Park - Atlanta Braves Spring Training Complex - North Port, FL
Minor League Baseball
*Louisville Slugger Field – Louisville, KY
*Fifth Third Field – Dayton, OH
*O’Brien Field – Peoria, IL
*U.S. Steel Yard – Gary, IN
*The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL
*John O’Donnell Stadium Renovation – Davenport, IA
*Trustmark Park – Pearl, MS
*The Hoover Met Renovation – Hoover, AL
*Carolina Stadium – Columbia, SC
*BB&T Ballpark – Winston Salem, NC
Modern Woodmen Park Loge Boxes – Davenport, IA
The Corn Crib – Bloomington/Normal, IL
Time Warner Cable Field Renovation – Grand Chute/Appleton, WI
Athletic Park – Wausau, WI
Warner Park Improvements – Madison, WI
Holly Springs Park – Holly Springs, NC
Jimmy John’s Field - Utica, MI
Dunkin’ Donuts Park - Hartford, CT
Capital Credit Union Park - Ashwaubenon, WI
CaroMont Health Park - Gastonia, NC
NBA/NHL/MLS
*Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA
Nashville SC Owner’s Rep - Nashville, TN
Sports Facility Master Planning
Montreal Excitation – Quebec Canada
Perfect Game Training Complex – Osceola, FL
AP23 Sports Complex – Columbus, OH
Beloit Snappers Ballpark – Beloit, WI
Comerica Park Outfield Improvements – Detroit, MI
Green Bay Bullfrogs Ballpark – Green Bay, WI
Flossmoor Training Complex – Flossmoor, IL
Michigan City Ballpark – Michigan City, IN
Regions Field Master Plan – Birmingham, AL
Fair Park Master Plan – Birmingham, AL
Rickwood Field Master Plan – Birmingham, AL
Parade Park Training Complex – Kansas City, MO
Knoxville Smokies Renovations – Knoxville, TN
Utica Baseball Complex – Utica, MI
Historic Tiger Stadium Master Plan - Detroit, MI
Franklin Ballpark – Franklin, WI
Reverchon Park Master Plan – Dallas, TX
AutoZone Park Master Plan – Memphis, TN
*An asterisk indicates work completed at another firm
Commercial/Residential Experience
New KCI Terminal Hospitality Spaces - Kansas City, MO
The Maverick - Kansas City, MO
Tiki Taco & Tiki Taco Troost - Kansas City, MO
Schumacher Residence - Independence, MO
Troost Village Master Plan - Kansas City, MO
WyCo Vintage II - Kansas City, MO
8183 Studio - Kansas City, MO
WyCo Vintage - Kansas City, MO
Beacon Hill Homes - Kansas City, MO
Brewery Emperial - Kansas City, MO
1512 Holmes - Kansas City, MO
Crosstown Substation - Kansas City, MO
RW/2 Studio - Kansas City, MO
The Guild KC - Kansas City, MO
East Village Apartments - Kansas City, MO
KCPD East Patrol HQ - Kansas City, MO
East Village Master Plan - Kansas City, MO
Green Roof Hospitality - Kansas City, MO
Swope South Health Clinic - Kansas City, MO
Bethany Medical Clinic - Kansas City, KS
Distend House - Kansas City, MO
Publications
“2022 NextGen Leaders” including Jonathan Cole, Kansas City Business Journal - 6/2022
“20 Innovators to Know” including Jonathan Cole, Kansas City Business Journal - 10/2021
“Sports Business Journal Power Players 2020” including Jonathan Cole, SBJ - 11/2020
“Class of 2020 VenuesNow All-Stars” including Jonathan Cole, VenuesNow - 10/2020
“Venues game-plan for safe fan visit” – USA Today – 2020
“Final Whistle” – Stadia Magazine – 2020
“Public Assembly Spaces Post-COVID-19 Part Two” – Pendulum White Paper – 2020
“Public Assembly Spaces Post-COVID-19 Part One” – Pendulum White Paper – 2020
“Jason Grill Interviews Jonathan Cole” - The Grill Nation Show on KMBZ 980AM - 2020
“One-on-One with Jonathan Cole: Digital Sessions” – VenuesNow - 2020
“Designers Discuss Post-Coronavirus Changes” – VenuesNow – 2020
Ballpark Design For The Future - “The Small Big Idea” - updated 2019
Parisians of the Plains Podcast - 2019
“Talking Points” VenuesNow - 2019
“Baseball Time Machines” Grand Magazine - 2018
"Sustainable By Nature" Commercial Business Journal, October 2011
"The Architecture of Fabrication" Kansas City Home & Garden Magazine, May/June 2011
"Recession Helped Put Designers On New Path" Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, January 2011
"Temporary Loge Boxes Find Audience At Minor League Ballparks" Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, August 2010
"Architect Plans To Drive-Innovation At Minor League Ballpark" Street & Smiths Sports Business Journal, May 2009
"Time To Take A Swing" The Kansas City Star, August 2008
"Minors Master Leaves HNTB" Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, April 2002
Presentations
"Graphic Sponsorship Integration & Sports Facility Design" Bob Freitas Business Seminar Baseball Winter Meetings 2007
"Green Architecture" Bob Freitas Business Seminar Baseball Winter Meetings 2008
"Sports Modular Design" IAAM 2009
"Economic Sustainability, Design That Increases Your Green" Fall Meetings 2009
"The Big Panel - Revenue Generation & Design Strategy" Summer Baseball Conference 2010
"Small Park - Build Small, Think Big" Summer Baseball Conference 2010
"Maximize Your Ballpark" Summer Baseball Conference 2011