Barclays Center
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Owner/Client: Forest City Ratner Companies
General Contractor: Hunt Construction
Architect: Stantec/SHoP Architects
Scope: Subway Green Slope, Arena Landscape Install
The Sponzilli Commercial Landscape Team is proud to be involved with the Barclays Center; Brooklyn NY’s sparkling new arena and performance venue. The design of the Barclays Center achieves a striking balance between iconic form and performative engagement with the street.
The Center is legible at multiple scales while maintaining an identity that delights visitors, neighbors, fans, and spectators. Integrated into one of the busiest urban intersections in the New York metro area, the Center sustains a healthy, interactive dialogue with the surrounding streets and neighborhood.
The Main Public Concourse is predominately glazed at the sidewalk level to ensure optimum accessibility and visibility. The civic gesture of the arena is heightened by a spectacular 30’ high canopy which contains an oculus that frames the view of the arena.
The Main Public Entrance plaza links Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues and creates a flexible, welcoming yet grand civic space. Views and physical access both into and out of the arena are plentiful, easy and accommodating, thus ensuring a strong connection to the surrounding urban environment.
Easy access by the public was a major consideration since the very beginning of the Barclays Center project. Currently there are nine subway lines, 11 bus lines, and the Long Island Railroad making a stop at the arena.
The entrance to the arena was changed to include a public plaza, complete with environmentally-friendly landscaping, including a new green roof subway entrance installed on an 85 degree slope using a special soil retention system to hold both soil and sedum plantings in place.
Sponzilli Landscape Group installed the plaza, the pavers, street trees, the sod plaza at the rear of the arena, and the new green roof on the subway entrance.
The Urban Landscape Division at Sponzilli understands the importance of including natural green space to densely populated urban areas and specializes in working with design teams including architects, LEED consultants, engineers, and landscape architects.
Experts in creating solutions to issues unique to the urban environment, Sponzilli is often called upon to take part in the most difficult and challenging urban landscaping and green roof installation projects.
View more examples of Sponzilli’s urban landscape work and learn more about green roofs and Sponzilli’s impact on improving and beautifying the urban environment in New York and New Jersey.
