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PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Location
720 West Mallon
Spokane,
Washington 99201
Completion Date
September 15, 1995
Purpose for the Project
Sports & Entertainment Facility
Context (how the
project “fits” in its surrounding environment)
Set on a 25-acre site located adjacent to Riverfront Park,
the Spokane Veteran’s Memorial Arena is prominently visible from many
areas in downtown Spokane. The Arena’s form was derived from several
sources including parameters of the program, influences of the immediate
site and topography, the relationship to the adjacent urban context and
influences of past and present Spokane building forms.
The Arena begins around
the configuration of the hockey rink and grows outward with spaces
revolving around the concourse and finally "pinwheeling" out toward the
city. This "pinwheel" effect is intended to symbolize a ceremonial
"falls"; creating a dramatic entry to the building along the north, east
and south sides. Overall massing and materials are arranged to reduce
the building’s scale and provide a pedestrian-friendly facility in scale
with the low-rise masonry structures in the general vicinity of the
arena. The Arena’s imagery is derived from an abstraction of the Spokane
River with its natural basalt rock formations found on the site and
throughout the region. These masonry blocks evoke a familiar and
identifiable form with horizontal glazing bands which ultimately spin
out and down toward the east end of the Arena. This stair-stepping of
space is a direct response to the existing site conditions. At the
upper portions of the building, the masonry (basalt) blocks reappear and
finally give way to a more functional and industrial skin of ribbed
metal panels and louvers. The roof configuration is the final response
to the site by lowering itself toward the Spokane River, downtown core
and pedestrian approach to the building.
Brief note on how the
project improves Spokane’s quality of life and addresses the “15
Qualities for Good Urban Design in Spokane”
It was important that the Arena fit well into its historic
neighborhood. Two existing brick structures were preserved by utilizing
them to house Arena functions. This allowed the Arena structure to be
smaller and more appropriately scaled for its neighborhood. The
existing structures also act as screens, minimizing the visual impact of
the large service yard. Brick was chosen for the Arena’s lower facades,
reinforcing the neighborhood’s historic qualities. Extensive glass is
utilized to allow visual connections to and from the streets and as well
as highlighting activities inside. The new structure was placed at the
same location as the old Coliseum; however, additional land was needed
to accommodate parking and service activities. By expanding the site
into under-utilized vacant property which was previously occupied by a
rail yard, visual qualities as well as pedestrian qualities of the
neighborhood were enhanced. The landscaping scheme effectively extends
Riverfront Park to the main entrance of the Arena; thus creating a
pleasant pedestrian link to downtown restaurants and parking. |
