In the sunshine of a beautiful morning in America's mid-West, the reflection of the high-rise Minneapolis skyline glinted from the glass panels of the US Bank Stadium. When evening came and an eager 66,000 capacity crowd packed the arena, the spectators gazed out through the giant windows at the twinkling lights of downtown.
The architectural ambition of the spectacular new home of the Minnesota Vikings makes the Identikit designs of most of English football's new-build stadia look dreary and conservative by comparison. It is a temple to the state's NFL team, a place its supporters can be proud of, a place that plays on its regional identity.