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We all know that buildings don't always turn out like the renderings. Last-minute changes and real-life materials can all cause discrepancies between the vision and reality of a project. In our Flash Forward Friday feature, we take a look at how different projects stack up.
There's no denying that Rogers Place has significantly boosted the international profile of Edmonton. Opening last year to exceptional fanfare and record attendance figures, the $480 million arena has become a symbol of the city's renewed commitment to urbanism. To be surrounded by the offices, residences, retail, and public promenades of the ICE District, Rogers Place signals a new direction for Downtown Edmonton that recognizes the pent-up demand for a vibrant, accessible, and fruitful city centre.
Designed by HOK in association with Architecture | Tkalcic Bengert (Arch|TB), DIALOG and Manica Architecture, development of the new arena began in March 2014. Renderings of the project immediately highlighted its oil drop-shaped footprint and the curvilinear facade, composed of glass and stainless steel panels. To connect the venue to the other development sites in the ICE District, HOK proposed a sprawling appendage that reaches over 104 Avenue. Initially dubbed the Winter Garden and later rebranded Ford Hall, this naturally lit multipurpose entryway creates some dramatic vistas when approaching the arena.
With a capacity of 18,347 for hockey and 20,147 for concerts, Rogers Place is capable of hosting events big and small. Hoisted above the centre of the building is the NHL's largest high-definition scoreboard, measuring 46-by-46 feet, ensuring fans don't miss a second of the action. Featuring 3,100 club seats, 900 PCL Loge seats, 500 drink rail seats, 300 ozone club seats, 57 Scotiabank executive suites, 24 theatre boxes, three clubs, two club lounges, and a full-service restaurant, the building has all the bells and whistles that were missing at Rexall Place.
Like other projects of similar scale and prominence, Rogers Place went through a rigorous design process that eventually yielded some changes to the exterior, chronicled in the publicly released conceptual and final project renderings. Earlier drawings showed a wider expanse of glass on the upper elevations and minimal LED signage. In actuality, the wall of stainless steel cladding is broken down by slight fluctuations in colour and the smooth panes of glass depicted in the initial renderings are instead transected by a network of diagonal mullions. A large LED board at the corner of 104 Avenue and 104 Street enhances the entertainment value of the complex.
The milestone project has spurred increased investment in the city. Brad Lamb cited the arena as a catalyst for economic activity when he decided to launch North and Jasper House. Property values in the vicinity have experienced a rapid rise as well, mimicking the explosion in the hospitality sector.
That's all on top of the nonmaterial value that the new arena brings in cementing Edmonton as a place to be. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was giddy in his excitement for the facility, calling it "nothing short of phenomenal." He would even instigate the long-standing rivalry between Edmonton and Calgary by hoping a new complex for the Flames would use Rogers Place as inspiration. It received praise from outside the hockey world too. Pollstar, a trade publication for the concert tour industry, nominated it as the Best New Major Concert Venue. The centrepiece of the ICE District — itself the glowing beacon of downtown — should expect no slowdown in its acceptance of accolades.
We will return in the near future with another comparison!
