Calgary Event Centre | 36.85m | 11s | CSEC | HOK

Do you support the proposal for the new arena?

  • Yes

    Votes: 94 66.7%

  • No

    Votes: 38 27.0%

  • Maybe

    Votes: 9 6.4%
  • Total voters
    141
From what I've seen in the side elevation and floor plan there should be a windows on both the north and east sides. The windows on the north side are along what is marked in the floor plan as Retail - sponsor, and Retail - restaurant chicken in the main concourse while the windows on the east side sit along the east escalator and extend up to the suite level. There isn't much they could have done about the overall shape of the building on the north and east sides without reducing seating but I agree they should have included windows in some fashion just to break up what is otherwise a flat wall. There is also a spot along the east side that is marked as "indigenous acknowledgement feature / public art."
 
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People should really stop overreacting about it destroying Victoria Park somehow. Arena's are large boxy structures 99% of the time and as an arena this one still has far more street activation then most. The city and CSEC were looking to build an arena with street front retail on the west side and that's what we got. I think we've all just set ourselves up expecting it to be something that it isn't. People shouldn't expect an arena not to look like an arena.
 
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It looks like a shopping mall now IMO, at least with the first renderings, at the start of the tread ,it had some character
 
Still waiting for some interior renderings of the concourse, seating bowl, club suites, etc. Cause right now this is a dogs breakfast on the outside. Not overly optimistic I will be impressed with the interior. I envision a tacky coloured seating scheme, bare cracked concrete floors, and an underwhelming prison like feel on the inside (due to the lack of natural light from a lack of windows).
To think that once upon a time I was a diehard Flames fan who scheduled my life around their games. Now I couldn’t care less. A mediocre arena for a perennial mediocre franchise with no vision.
 
The Familia said:
Still waiting for some interior renderings of the concourse, seating bowl, club suites, etc. Cause right now this is a dogs breakfast on the outside. Not overly optimistic I will be impressed with the interior. I envision a tacky coloured seating scheme, bare cracked concrete floors, and an underwhelming prison like feel on the inside (due to the lack of natural light from a lack of windows).
To think that once upon a time I was a diehard Flames fan who scheduled my life around their games. Now I couldn’t care less. A mediocre arena for a perennial mediocre franchise with no vision.
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I think from most your posts in the thread your mind is already made up and there is no way you will be positive with the interior.
 
Rollerstud98 said:
I think from most your posts in the thread your mind is already made up and there is no way you will be positive with the interior.
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I will admit I am quite guilty of this when it comes to this project, definitely nitpicking on things and being opposed from the start. But, when you look at the ratio of votes in favour of the arena (cast long before the design was released) to the general tone of the comments post design release, I think a lot of people on this forum are legitimately disappointed after having their hopes up. People were really hoping for something iconic to help define Calgary (especially since as part of the deal, we are losing exactly that with the demolition of the saddledome), but this has not been delivered.
 
We were hoping for a top notch design that would compliment the BMO centre across the street nicely and also make Rogers in Edmonton look stupid. I think this one fails on both. I'm sure the inside will be fine though, as long as there are enough washrooms and a concourse that can handle the traffic 99% of people will be satisfied.
 
MichaelS basically summed my feelings about the arena. What does it say when I think Rogers Arena in Edmonton has more personality and flare. You may not like the futuristic design but it is cohesive and follows a unique vision. While it’s street front presence is brutal, it does contain a community rink, public indoor gathering spot, and leads directly to their entertainment district (which I think is a bit bland and sterile but functional).

CEC vs. Rogers Place

Street front retail - Calgary
Community rink - Edmonton
Indoor Winter Garden - Edmonton
Seat capacity - Edmonton
Cohesive design - Edmonton
New Parkade in a sea of parking - Calgary
Overuse of cheap screens and tin siding - Calgary
Use of Glass - Edmonton
Digital display board - Edmonton
Mix mash of materials - Calgary
Quality of materials - TBD but leaning to Edm.
Proper outdoor plaza - Edmonton
Better run organization - tie, they both suck
Getting less while spending more - Calgary

ok I’ll stop now. Going to take a break from this thread as I think I’ve made my point and I’m just beating a dead horse! I’ll come back once interiors are released……
 
HOK insisted on splitting off the west side of the main concourse from the rest of the building and CSEC insisted on having a parkade which together forced the arena right up against 12 Ave and 5th St. CSEC is more interested on the internal design and the city was interested in the retail and walkability. HOK was then left to decorate a building that was guaranteed to be square on 3 sides and failed spectacularly.
 
I really wished we had chosen Populous over HOK+Dialog. At least we could have gotten a design that better matched the BMO Centre. Also HOK's current sports arm is made up mostly of former 360 Architecture personnel and I'm certain a bunch have moved on to other companies since their Lead retired in 2019
 
potatopizzafan said:
I dig it 🤷‍♂️
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I'm not sure I dig it, but I don't hate it. The biggest problem for me is the mishmash of materials, and the large wall on the 12th ave side. Like many, I wish the design was more cohesive, but in the end for me what matters most is how functional it'll be inside, and how it interacts at the street level.

My thoughts summed up:
-The Olympic Way portion is what I would hope for.... straight wall that's not too high running parallel with the street, and generous sidewalk space to allow for retail with patios etc.. Lots of glass window area that runs two levels up, giving it an open feeling to the street. The Olympic Way frontage design allows for the other side of the street to develop something that compliments it, and possible create a decent retail canyon.

-We haven't seen much of the inside, but for the average person if they have plenty of washrooms, it will have already beaten out Rogers Place. Most people don't pay attention to the interior details of an arena and are happy as long as they can see the A) concert stage, see the ice, B) can easily grab some food or easily go to the bathroom. C) exit and enter the building easily. One thing I don't like about Roger Place is the huge vertical gap between the lower bowl and the upper bowl. If they don't don't that here, that will be another thing that makes the interior better and keep people happy.

-The 12th ave side is a fail for me. If they could have done a nice job on 2 of the 4 sides, I would be 95% happy. In the renderings it looks like they have a lot of space on the south side of the arena, and if they shifted the arena south by 50' maybe they could have have more to work with on the 12th ave side?

-The overall design would be better if it was more uniform or cohesive, but it's a huge concern for me.

-One last minor thing. Does anyone else hate those little corner bends they've put on some of the materials?
 
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