« KRUGERPALOOZA! | Main | Lobbyist Lipsky and the power of media »
March 11, 2011
Q&A: Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket's managing principal Stephen J. Duethman on the Barclays Center and the latest design trends
Stadia Magazine
Ellerbe Becket will highlight its work for the Barclays Center at Stadia Design & Technology Expo – where are you with that project right now?
On the design side, we are completing work associated with the interior of the arena, specifically materials selection and signage. The construction is well underway, with construction of foundations, steel erection and the start of precast seating treads and risers scheduled for April this year. Also the fabrication of thousands of pieces of weathering steel is ongoing. These pieces will form the exterior façade of the facility. The biggest challenge on this project was to gain access to the entire site to continue with excavation and construction of foundations. Numerous legal challenges and the demolition of structures on the site hampered the ability to construct the project in a fluid sequence. But all parties are working together to overcome these hurdles and construction is progressing nicely towards an opening date in autumn 2012.
Wait, didn't last week's "Site Observation Report" indicate that the arena, as Norman Oder reported, "could be used in June and July?"
How is new technology, particularly digital technology, impacting on your ideas?
...the event space and seating bowl are designed so that patrons at the exterior plaza will have a view into the seating bowl through a large corner vomitory...
We'll be giving that wide berth. Of course, better there than on a quiet Park Slope sidewalk following some post-game revelry at Prime 6.
What’s your dream project?
I have had many opportunities over the past 18 years on some really important projects that have impacted communities and college campuses. But the Barclays Center at Atlantic Yards is truly a spectacular opportunity to impact the city of Brooklyn and surrounding communities.
NoLandGrab: Funny, but it's the potential impact of the arena on surrounding communities that's got people worried.
Posted by eric at March 11, 2011 11:08 PM