The NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks have many mottos attached to them — like “Green and Growing,” “Bucks in Six,” and “Fear the Deer” — but the team pushes one above all else.
Own the Future.
They certainly are trying to do that. Along with a young, exuberant group of players, the Bucks continue to move towards a new downtown Milwaukee arena that will keep them in the city.
This week, the Bucks released new renderings and project specifications for their arena and surrounding mixed-use entertainment district, a plan led by Populous along with Eppstein Uhen and HNTB.
The 714,000-sf arena is intended primarily for basketball but can also host hockey, concerts, and other events. Upper and lower levels will load from the top down for a more efficient seating pattern, and fans will be able to watch the action from the concourses.
The building will have a hand-crafted zinc and glass exterior. A massive glass curtain wall will bring light and views into the atrium. The arced long-span roof will be clad in pre-patina zinc shingles, with six vertical glass “ripples” that allow light in.
Perhaps intentionally, the building’s shape seems to honor Milwaukee’s heritage.
This new Bucks arena render looks kind of like a beer barrel on its side, to which I say PERFECT pic.twitter.com/Snb0POgPcR
— Frank Madden (@brewhoop) March 17, 2016
The 30-acre mixed-use development will have restaurants, bars and other entertainment based uses, including a plaza with a translucent canopy above it.
The NBA mandated that the Bucks needed a new arena secured or else they would be sold to the league and potentially relocated. The team’s current home, the BMO Bradley Center, was built in 1988. The new arena project was announced last April and the Wisconsin state assembly approved the plan last July.
The entire plan will cost about $1 billion, half for the arena and half for the development. The arena is expected to be ready for the 2018-19 season, and the district, which will also add hotels, offices, and condos, will be built over the next 10 years.
The Bucks are also building a new training facility.
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 22, 2023
NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars release conceptual designs for ‘stadium of the future’
Designed by HOK, the Stadium of the Future intends to meet the evolving needs of all stadium stakeholders—which include the Jaguars, the annual Florida-Georgia college football game, the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, international sporting events, music festivals and tours, and the thousands of fans and guests who attend each event.
Arenas | Jun 14, 2023
A multipurpose arena helps revitalize a historic African American community in Georgia
In Savannah, Ga., Enmarket Arena, a multipurpose arena that opened last year, has helped revitalize the city’s historic Canal District—home to a largely African American community that has been historically separated from the rest of downtown.
Architects | Jun 6, 2023
Taking storytelling to a new level in building design, with Gensler's Bob Weis and Andy Cohen
Bob Weis, formerly the head of Disney Imagineering, was recently hired by Gensler as its Global Immersive Experience Design Leader. He joins the firm's co-CEO Andy Cohen to discuss how Gensler will focus on storytelling to connect people to its projects.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 30, 2023
How design supports a more holistic approach to training
For today’s college athletes, training is no longer about cramming team practices and weight lifting sessions in between classes.
Arenas | May 18, 2023
How can we reimagine live sports experiences?
A Gensler survey finds what sports fans' experiences have been like returning to arenas, and their expectations going forward.
Digital Twin | May 8, 2023
What AEC professionals should know about digital twins
A growing number of AEC firms and building owners are finding value in implementing digital twins to unify design, construction, and operational data.
Collegiate Stadiums | Apr 4, 2023
6 examples of modern college training facilities
HOK discusses the future of college training facilities, with six design takeaways derived from a discussion between Dan Radakovich, Director of Athletics at the University of Miami, and Trevor Bechtold, Director, HOK’s Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023
New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 17, 2023
Aurora, Colo., recreation center features city’s first indoor field house, unobstructed views of the Rocky Mountains
In January, design firm Populous and the City of Aurora, Colo. marked the opening of the Southeast Aurora Recreation Center and Fieldhouse. The 77,000-sf facility draws design inspiration from the nearby Rocky Mountains. With natural Douglas Fir structure and decking, the building aims to mimic the geography of a canyon.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 15, 2023
Georgia State University Convocation Center revitalizes long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood
Georgia State University’s new Convocation Center doubles the arena it replaces and is expected to give a shot in the arm to a long-neglected Atlanta neighborhood. The new 200,000 sf multi-use venue in the Summerhill area of Atlanta is the new home for the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and will also be used for large-scale academic and community events.
