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In the course of our daily reporting, we often uncover unusual projects, places, or connections that don't make the final cut. Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we're pleased to share our Architrivia.
The use of colour in architecture can sometimes be treated as an afterthought. But then there are buildings like the Butterdome. Perhaps no other example of Edmonton's built form is so dependent on its cladding pigment as its identifying characteristic like the University of Alberta's buttery bunker. Any recladding of the structure that stymied the bright yellow exterior would fundamentally alter its defining feature, and genuinely shatter its popular sobriquet.
Locals began calling the Universiade Pavilion, the official name of the 5,500-seat multipurpose arena, 'the Butterdome' shortly after its opening in 1983 for the Summer World University Games. The name even caught on among officials at the University of Alberta, which has widely adopted the moniker since the building's inception. The pavilion includes a seven-lane rubberized indoor track, four basketball/volleyball/tennis courts, and four badminton courts. Collapsible lower sections allow the capacity to be increased to 11,000 for the home basketball teams, the Alberta Golden Bears and Alberta Pandas.
The vivid exterior porcelain enamel panels, representing half of the school's green and gold regalia, have elicited strong reactions from Edmontonians, ranging from enchantment to disgust. In a recent Huffington Post article, author Zi-Ann Lum named the landmark one of Canada's ten ugliest buildings.
Locals seem to have a love-hate relationship with the Butterdome, though no matter what side of the fence you occupy, there's no denying that the unconventional building triggers a strong response in people. And in that sense, it's succeeded in supporting a dialogue around the ability of architecture to shape the identity of something larger, in this case, a venerable university, who has embraced all its flairs or faults.
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