Making one of the boldest exterior statements among this year’s winners — with a glowing orange facade that beckons visitors as would a hearth or winter sunset — the Great Plains Recreation Facility flips the typical narrative of a twin-pad ice arena. Change rooms are located along the building’s perimeter, freeing the area between the ice sheets to serve as a skylit social gathering space.
“Creative, playful and unique,” stated one panelist. “The central social viewing space created by inverting the typical rink planning layout offers great value and inward focused visibility and energy, which works well at this site location.” Added another, “The building has a clear organization and an exceptional level of transparency and connection, both to internal and external spaces.”
DESIGN ARCHITECT:
MJMA
Toronto, Ont.
ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT:
MTA
Calgary, Alb.
COST: $24.75 million (Canadian)
SQUARE FOOTAGE: 80,000
MAJOR FACILITY COMPONENTS: multipurpose ice rinks, central social space, change rooms
“Purposeful use of color adds warmth and vitality to the orange glass entrance.”
David Sorg
“This is an elegantly designed and well-crafted project that focuses on what is important and conceals what is not.”
Clint Menefee
Credits:
Photos by Shai Gill and Nicole Bell. Video by Sean Ray.