GSW Arena has announced that Gensler, a global architecture firm founded and based in the Bay Area of California, has been hired to design the interior architecture of Chase Center, the new state-of-the-art sports and entertainment arena to be built in San Francisco’s Mission Bay.
“Gensler is a perfect fit for Chase Center, bringing both incredible local experience and extensive global expertise to our project – and of course a track record of architectural excellence,” said Stephen Collins, chief operating officer of Chase Center.
“We want an arena that is a reflection of the Bay Area, but also a stand-out in the world of sports and entertainment. Gensler will help us achieve that mission.”
Gensler will join the current Chase Center architectural team by designing all the public interior spaces, including concourses, clubs, suites, administrative offices, home and visiting locker rooms, as well as theming for concession areas, sponsor zones, team store and retail spaces. Gensler brings to the project extensive sports, entertainment, retail, and hospitality experience with a deep knowledge of San Francisco and the Bay Area.
“Gensler is excited to join the current design team on such a significant project as Chase Center,” said Gensler Sports principal-in-charge, Ron Turner. “When complete, this will be a showpiece for the NBA, the Warriors, and the Bay Area, so helping to achieve this will be a distinct pleasure for our group.”
While Gensler is a global architectural firm of over 5,000 staff across 46 offices worldwide, the firm has its roots in the Bay Area, where it was founded by Arthur Gensler over 50 years ago. This design effort will be a collaborative effort between Gensler’s San Francisco and Los Angeles offices. Recent local projects include Terminals 2 and 3 at San Francisco International Airport and the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley.
Gensler Sports, a division of Gensler that focuses on international sports venues and sports-anchored mixed-use development, is well versed in designing for the fan experience, having recently completed significant architectural sports interiors work at FirstEnergy Stadium for the Cleveland Browns, Hohokam Stadium for the Oakland Athletics, and BMO Field for Toronto FC. Gensler Sports is also involved in the interior design of the new US$250m stadium for the MLS expansion team, the Los Angeles Football Club.
Set to open for the start of the 2019-20 NBA season, the 18,000-seat Chase Center will anchor a district of 11 acres of restaurants, cafes, offices, public plazas and other amenities the neighborhood currently lacks, along with a new 5.5-acre public waterfront park. Chase Center will be located on a major Muni Metro rail line with easy links to BART and other transit options. When complete, it will be the only privately-financed facility of its kind built on private property in the modern era.
June 23, 2016
