- November 24, 2016
- Posted by: SportsV
- Categories: Home News, Industry News, News
The Milwaukee Bucks have released a new set of renderings of the entertainment block that will be constructed adjacent to the new downtown arena in conjunction with the submission of detailed plans for the development to the city. This new block is a central element of the master design plan for the new arena and surrounding development, and will feature an active space designed for year-round community use. It will also serve as an important connection between the new arena and existing commercial activity along Old World Third Street.
The entertainment block was designed by Gensler and Milwaukee-based Rinka Chung Architecture, with landscape design services from the Office of James Burnett (OJB). Brookfield-based Hunzinger Construction will manage the construction of the new entertainment block, while New Berlin-based Veit & Company, Inc., is currently overseeing the preparation of the site including demolition of the existing parking structure.
The entertainment block is expected to be completed in time for the opening of the new arena in the autumn/fall of 2018, ready for the start of the 2018/19 season.
Bucks President Peter Feigin said:
This new space will be a transformational addition to the community and a year-round hub for activity in downtown Milwaukee. Our ownership had a bold vision for a flexible space that will connect the neighborhood, spur additional development and empower additional local businesses to partner with us in revitalizing this portion of the city. Our fantastic design partners on this project have brought that vision to life and we’re beyond excited to see this project taking shape.
Matt Rinka (Rinka Chung Architecture), Sasha Zeljic (Gensler) and Jereck Boss (OJB), said in a joint statement:
The design of the entertainment block strives to connect the surrounding community, acting as a catalyst for the development and evolution of the district and downtown Milwaukee through an active and inspiring environment for people to live, work and play in the heart of the city.
The design for the entertainment block aims to create a new urban destination in Milwaukee that will drive activity downtown, while celebrating the city’s unique local and regional experiences. At the centre of the project is a large public plaza, which will serve as a “living room” for the city and be activated year-round by a wide-ranging scope of events that could include farmer’s markets, outdoor concerts, festivals and even a seasonal skating rink. The space also includes a promenade along the arena featuring public art, gardens, a signature water feature and event lawns.
The series of structures incorporated into the entertainment block design will cater to a variety of dining, retail and entertainment activations, including a year-round beer garden and an outdoor media wall in the covered pedestrian walkway that will link the arena with Old World Third Street. The block is designed to promote activity both at the pedestrian level as well as vertically through balconies, terraces and rooftop spaces. The overall architecture of the project is envisioned as a modern interpretation of the industrial history of the city, with exposed steel, aluminum, wood and brick all featuring prominently in the design.
The new design renderings of the entertainment block…
Main image (top): Community gathering space adjacent to new Wisconsin Entertainment & Sports Center to serve as a year-round hub for activity in downtown Milwaukee
The entertainment block will be adjacent to the new Milwaukee Entertainment & Sports Center, the centrepiece of an ambitious development project spearheaded by Bucks ownership to transform 27-acres of mostly vacant property into a vibrant retail and entertainment district in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Scheduled to open in the autumn/fall of 2018, the 714,000 square foot arena will be home to Milwaukee Bucks basketball and countless sports and entertainment events. The new arena was designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen and HNTB, with Mortenson tabbed to lead the construction of the project. For more information, visit www.wisconsinesc.com
About the new Milwaukee Entertainment & Sports Center
Designed by the Kansas City, Missouri, office of architecture firm Populous, in association with Eppstein Uhen Architects and HNTB, the 714,000-square-foot venue will anchor a developing 27-acre district in downtown Milwaukee. The venue, located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, links the historic Old World Third Street, the riverfront, the heavily commuted Water Street, and the exhibition space at the Wisconsin Center.
The new downtown stadium, like its predecessor — which was designed by Populous and completed in 1988 — will host other events, such as concerts. Its design pays homage to Milwaukee’s architectural heritage and the region’s environment.
The eye-catching façade will feature an immense wall of glass that, for those outside its barrier, will reveal the activity going on inside the arena. However, the building’s most striking feature will be its arched roof, which, clad in patinated zinc shingles, overlaps the glass façade and stretches down to street level on one side. This sloping section will be punctuated with vertical, multi-storied glass, which will include ceramic frit patterns.
The project will be managed by Mortenson Construction, the second-largest sports complex builder in the country, has completed more than 160 sports and entertainment projects in the U.S., and currently building the future homes of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings (U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis) and MLB’s Atlanta Braves (SunTrust Park in Cobb County, Ga.). Mortenson has also been hired to build Chase Center, the future home of the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
Source: NBA.com
