Cross quoting user I-Hate-Hulse at Calgarypuck

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Let me adjust this for reality...
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El Dorado said:
How big is the foyer compared to say Ford Hall in Rogers Place?
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Would be careful to compare, Ford Hall was a means to an end, hovering over 104th because the arena land widnt didn't allow for enough entrance space....Rogers main concourse is 30ft in the air, so they need to get everybody up. Plus edmonton is significantly colder in the winter than calgary lol.

The Familia said:
Yeah I feel the same way. Nothing offensive, not sterile, but nothing earth shattering or amazing. It’s a giant foyer, nothing more. As long as they don’t stuff it with Ford F-150’s it should prove to be a nice entrance way.
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They are what they are, pretty standard in the industry...LED screens, escalators, big bar...why spend big money on space you quickly leave. Certainly has a warm enough aesthetic for socials, banquets, ect... on non event days

I'm much more interested in seeing the concessions, bars, clubs, suites, ect...
 
Roaring Flames said:
The ceiling reminds me of a 00s movie theatre 😂
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We see this repeatedly in downtown design aesthetics in Calgary, the arena lobby is so painfully corporate and outdated feeling. Perhaps unsurprising in our city, and also arena projects in general in North America that are largely corporate/public projects, maybe it's nearly impossible to imagine anything different, given the types of stakeholders involved in the design process. It feels like a car dealership even before you park the inevitable cars in there.

Without blowing the whole thing up and acknowledging the design constraints of the key audience - we could probably save the design by just replacing lots of elements with big wood beams and putting user controls on the design software so you're only allowed 1 pointless curvy design element per room.
 
CBBarnett said:
We see this repeatedly in downtown design aesthetics in Calgary, the arena lobby is so painfully corporate and outdated feeling. Perhaps unsurprising in our city, and also arena projects in general in North America that are largely corporate/public projects, maybe it's nearly impossible to imagine anything different, given the types of stakeholders involved in the design process. It feels like a car dealership even before you park the inevitable cars in there.

Without blowing the whole thing up and acknowledging the design constraints of the key audience - we could probably save the design by just replacing lots of elements with big wood beams and putting user controls on the design software so you're only allowed 1 pointless curvy design element per room.
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My main counterpoint would be...what would you propose? Given there's a massive window wall, huge LED screen, and wood/backlit beams...where/what else do you do?
 
Count me in as being reminded of a 00's movie theatre lobby but minus any of the actual character elements. The drop ceiling 'clouds' look really dated. The rest just feels like an office lobby.

Edit: Does anyone know what they are doing with the giant goalie mask on the north side entrance of the Saddledome? This bland space needs an element like that. Wouldn't even cost them more money and would add much needed character and interest.
 
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Tothewest said:
My main counterpoint would be...what would you propose? Given there's a massive window wall, huge LED screen, and wood/backlit beams...where/what else do you do?
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Anyone been in the tunnel between terminals at O’Hare and the corridor to customs at our airport also?

One takes you somewhere and one takes you places.

That’s the kind of thought that’s lacking here.
 
Tothewest said:
My main counterpoint would be...what would you propose? Given there's a massive window wall, huge LED screen, and wood/backlit beams...where/what else do you do?
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Overall my position is it's as exciting as a 2000s-era Cineplex but wanted to give it a little more effort below.

For iconic and important public civic buildings, beyond the functional requirements of the space, two of the main architectural goals are:
  1. Try to be unique - rarely does this me in an absolute sense, just locally unique. People should identify the building and space as an important one that's different than the countless other spaces in the city.
  2. Try to be "timeless" - it's a bit harder to know if you designed it to be timeless until lots of time has passed but the general idea is if this building is important and a new icon for the city, act like it. Use good materials that are durable and have demonstrated long-run popularity, use design restraint to avoid looking like fad architecture. Importantly, don't let the architectural elements overwhelm the function - whatever you make a public building out of, it won't last if it becomes functionally obsolete (e.g. Saddledome).
Being unique changes from place to place. For Calgary, this lobby really fails the uniqueness test - Calgary does not lack corporate-chic spaces like this. We might have the highest density of 2000s-era corporate lobby event spaces like this. Combine with Cineplex vibes and some design elements/materials found in modern Toyota dealerships it's remarkably underwhelming.

On the timeless side similar problem - it's timeless in the wrong way. The lobby isn't even built and it seems old, the wrong kind of old. The materials, the design all are trying so hard but from a place of lacking any real inspiration.

An example of what I'd propose is something more like Portland's new airport concourse. Great materials, design restraint, the right balance of curves and straight. This is a space that will age well and doesn't sacrifice the main functionality - have a big, high capacity space to filter people in and out. And borrowing this style would be unique for Calgary - we don't have anything like this.

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To fix the lobby without redesigning the whole building, just straighten out some of the pointless swoopy bits, replace all that corporate panelling look with more intentional choices of stone, wood or brick and take lighting and the ceiling more seriously. At least cover up all the ducts!

FriendlyDrunks said:
If we're going 2000s theater let's add a fire breathing dragon, it would even be thematically consistent.
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Or just do that - go hard the other way, deliberately choose to make this place fun and silly! Get out of that uncanny design valley - right now it's a space that takes itself too seriously so you can't have an animatronic dragon, but also not interested in actually doing some great unique architecture and space design.
 
CBBarnett said:
Overall my position is it's as exciting as a 2000s-era Cineplex but wanted to give it a little more effort below.

For iconic and important public civic buildings, beyond the functional requirements of the space, two of the main architectural goals are:
  1. Try to be unique - rarely does this me in an absolute sense, just locally unique. People should identify the building and space as an important one that's different than the countless other spaces in the city.
  2. Try to be "timeless" - it's a bit harder to know if you designed it to be timeless until lots of time has passed but the general idea is if this building is important and a new icon for the city, act like it. Use good materials that are durable and have demonstrated long-run popularity, use design restraint to avoid looking like fad architecture. Importantly, don't let the architectural elements overwhelm the function - whatever you make a public building out of, it won't last if it becomes functionally obsolete (e.g. Saddledome).
Being unique changes from place to place. For Calgary, this lobby really fails the uniqueness test - Calgary does not lack corporate-chic spaces like this. We might have the highest density of 2000s-era corporate lobby event spaces like this. Combine with Cineplex vibes and some design elements/materials found in modern Toyota dealerships it's remarkably underwhelming.

On the timeless side similar problem - it's timeless in the wrong way. The lobby isn't even built and it seems old, the wrong kind of old. The materials, the design all are trying so hard but from a place of lacking any real inspiration.

An example of what I'd propose is something more like Portland's new airport concourse. Great materials, design restraint, the right balance of curves and straight. This is a space that will age well and doesn't sacrifice the main functionality - have a big, high capacity space to filter people in and out. And borrowing this style would be unique for Calgary - we don't have anything like this.

View attachment 729633

To fix the lobby without redesigning the whole building, just straighten out some of the pointless swoopy bits, replace all that corporate panelling look with more intentional choices of stone, wood or brick and take lighting and the ceiling more seriously. At least cover up all the ducts!


Or just do that - go hard the other way, deliberately choose to make this place fun and silly! Get out of that uncanny design valley - right now it's a space that takes itself too seriously so you can't have an animatronic dragon, but also not interested in actually doing some great unique architecture and space design.
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In not going to disagree that it’s a beautiful airport…but I dont think the applications are at all comparable. It’s an arena, there are only X dollars, where do you best spend them? You go to an airport to hopefully relax and be calm while u wait for hours. Sports/concerts you want technology and energy. People are pumped up!
 
I think part of all this is with arena costs spiraling towards a billion bucks, compared to $200-300 million not all that long ago, expectations are naturally going to be a lot higher than they used to be. I can't help but be underwhelmed by what is being shown here. It's fine, and certainly a lot better than the Dome, but i can't help but wonder why it costs so much to get so little when it comes to stadia these days.
 
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