Design Team Changes for San Francisco Arena
San Francisco’s Golden State Warriors basketball team is in the final stages of selecting an architect of record for its planned arena-on-a-pier. The team recently brought in Manica Architecture, Kansas City, Mo., to work on the "bones" of the arena and related buildings, says P.J. Johnston, a team spokesman.
Architect AECOM completed its first phase of design work in the spring and is still on the project but only as a strategic advisor to the design team, adds Johnston. Snøhetta, which is new to arena architecture, remains the lead design firm for the project. Manica is working "closely" with Snøhetta on the arena facade, he says.
"The Warriors are in the final stages of selecting an architect of record to support Snøhetta and Manica as we move from conceptual design into the production phase of the design process," adds Johnston.
The project is sited on city-owned piers 30-32 in San Francisco Bay. In May, the team released a new arena design, which, among other changes, includes a fire station with berths for two fireboats, a deepwater berth for large ships, public access space on the eastern edge of the pier and a stormwater filtration system.
Under an agreement with the city, the Warriors will pay for the estimated $75-million to $100-million repair of the crumbling piers. The team will also privately finance the arena project.
Rutherford + Chekene (R+C) is the structural and geotechnical engineer of record for the piers' substructure. Magnusson Klemencic Associates is a recent addition to the design team as the arena's structural engineer of record.
The project continues in the design and pre-entitlements phase, says Johnston. Legislation regarding public trust consistency of the use of the piers passed in the state legislature last week. “We remain on schedule with our targeted opening in time for the NBA's 2017-2018 season,” he adds.
