Golden 1 Center

As a LEED-Platinum-rated building and hailed as the “Most Technologically Advanced Arena in the World,” Golden 1 Center has certainly created buzz around its many aspects that make it green, technologically-inclined, and aesthetically pleasing.

The Kings wanted a new home that showcases the best Sacramento has to offer, while reflecting the values of the region. Described as an “extroverted” building, Golden 1 Center eliminates the line between indoors and outdoors, connecting to the surrounding city.

When designing the outside look of the arena, Sacramento’s nickname of the “City of Trees” came to the minds of the architects at AECOM. Using a photograph of a leafy street in East Sacramento, they designed the arena to have undulating walls etched with three-inch leaf designs with a modern twist, creating an illusion of billowing valley oak tree canopies on the arena’s exterior. The metallic outer shell of the arena allows it to change in appearance and colors as it reflects the natural outside lighting.

“We reversed the typical introverted arena with a design that reflects the region and connects to the city, from the hangar doors to the façade that evokes the granite of the Sierra Nevada and the ‘City of a Million Trees’,” said Rob Rothblatt, AECOM exterior design lead for the project.

On the inside, there are many aspects that give a feeling of openness and connectedness to all guests. 360-degree concourses allow visitors to walk all the way around the arena with views across the lower bowl, down to the court below, and out to the city.

Golden 1 Center was made with the fans, city, and planet in mind, which is reflected throughout its design. It was made to adapt with future advances and has brought new life and businesses into the greater Sacramento area.

“It was important for us that we give fans the best experience ever, but at the same time, be good citizens of the world,” explained Majority Owner Vivek Ranadivé.

For this reason, the roof of Golden 1 Center was lined with solar panels to generate energy for the technology within its walls, helping to reduce the arena’s overall carbon footprint.

 

Submitting Organization
Sacramento Kings
Photo Credits
Sacramento Kings
Year
2017
Category Entered
Overall Building Architecture
Category
Overall Building Architecture