In the Intuit Dome blog series, we are taking a deep dive into each element of Intuit Dome with the leaders who made this project a reality. Throughout these pieces, we discuss features like community engagement, sustainability and visionary design/innovation to learn more about what makes Intuit Dome a game-changer in sports and entertainment.

LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer originally thought that having an existing building (Staples Center at the time) would be beneficial when he bought the team. Within the first six months, he realized that the situation was unworkable as the third tenant in the building, so he sought out ArchTam as lead designer when he was envisioning the creation of his team’s new home. After initial site selection and concept design, Ballmer then brought ArchTam Hunt on board to review real-time construction cost estimates. A separate procurement led to the hire of an ArchTam Hunt and Turner Construction joint venture as construction manager at-risk. From there, a unique partnership formed that proved to be as iconic as the venue itself.

The magnitude of this project drove the design and delivery team because of Steve Ballmer’s leadership and commitment. On many projects, the design team and contractors are put in opposing camps to identify responsibility for risk or challenges. With Intuit Dome, everyone set aside historic practices to put the success of the project first. The typical process of change orders and requests for information was not discussed in contractual terms but instead focused on solutions. Combining design and construction management expertise to complete this project elevates it to another level.

ArchTam has served concurrently in both roles in the past, most recently at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but typically these roles have been contracted separately with the assumption that we would act in traditional designer/contractor roles. However, this is the first time that we have engaged in a full collaboration along with the team at CAA ICON.  Across all team members, regardless of company, everyone’s focus was on delivering the highest standard for our client. 

Intuit Dome supersedes all others in the sports and entertainment realm regarding technological advancements. With the arena’s design and ambitious technology goals, the team coordinated with technology partners early in preconstruction. The most visible symbol of this commitment is the Halo scoreboard, which is almost an acre of 4k LED screens, 4-5 times the size of a typical NBA scoreboard. This is also the first time a venue is equipped with fan focused technology like frictionless point-of-sale — from concessions, to merchandise, to their very own seat. With the technology ingrained into the building, the focus is truly on creating an atmosphere that prioritizes the fan experience.

Additionally, on the construction side, the team utilized Microsoft HoloLens technology allowing crews to use real-time BIM information in augmented reality to verify work in place and resolve conflicts. We believe that we’re just scratching the surface of the future usage of technology on large-scale projects like Intuit Dome.

Throughout the design and construction process, a few challenges arose for our team to conquer. This project was unique in that we had to deliver the design and construction documents during COVID-19 while working across offices in LA, Chicago, Kansas City, London and Melbourne. The joint venture had to deal with the cost impact of the pandemic as well as limited commodities and reliance on overseas work. As a result, our team was very clear to the client about the cost impact and to outline the increases and risks.

Moreover, one main schedule issue on the project involved the fabrication and delivery of our diagrid steel. The stadium’s 2,791-ton diagrid structural steel frame (or gridshell) is a design inspired by a basketball net. It consists primarily of pipe radial, diagonal members and complex nodes. The arena enclosure, parking garage, plaza and garden were all impacted by the diagrad’s delivery schedule. Despite all schedule challenges, our team worked cohesively to meet our client’s needs by creating different sequences to pull certain components of the work forward.

Beyond the arena, the project’s connection to the surrounding neighborhood was critical, both socially and sustainably. The LA Clippers worked with the City of Inglewood on a far-reaching benefits package — funding for schools, housing, infrastructure and jobs have all been part of the commitment to develop an arena with positive community impact. Inglewood Mayor James Butts wanted this project to increase employment opportunities in his city, especially the training of young adults. Before the construction of Intuit Dome and SoFi Stadium just to the north, the unemployment rate in Inglewood was around 17 percent. Now, as job creation in the area has increased, the unemployment rate has declined to around 4 percent.

All in all, the ArchTam partnership proved to be more efficient and cost-effective, allowed for greater design quality and produced a better outcome. Working together and successfully creating a world-renowned venue speaks volumes to our ability as a company to be able to deliver a show-stopping project like Intuit Dome.

The post The partnership behind the design and construction of Intuit Dome appeared first on Blog.

Supporting a better environment through design

ArchTam designed the arena with natural ventilation and to be fully electric with enough battery and solar energy to power an entire basketball game or concert. The site was planned to engage the community through an expansive plaza appropriately scaled and offering a gathering place for events as well as pre-game functions. With a commitment to annual monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and transportation impacts, the project aims to drive broader community transformation to a low carbon future. Intuit Dome will also feature a comprehensive waste reduction program and extensive plans to improve regional air quality.

The Clippers organization is one of the most philanthropic sports organizations in the U.S. and is devoted to being a good neighbor both on and off the court — a passion that is ingrained in the team’s culture and championed by its leadership. Its commitment includes adding a founding sustainability partner, Aspiration.

Building a vibrant local economy

The Intuit Dome project serves as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform land that sits directly underneath the LAX flight path and is unsuitable for housing into a vibrant source of community pride and an economic engine. The arena will contribute to the renaissance that is unfolding in the City of Inglewood by creating thousands of full- and part-time construction jobs and more permanent full and part-time jobs when the complex opens. Local hire goals through the ArchTam Hunt/Turner Joint Venture are in place to help fill at least 30 percent of the construction jobs and at least 35 percent of arena operation jobs with local area residents.

Intuit Dome is expected to generate an estimated US$260 million in annual economic activity for the City of Inglewood. These funds will help support vital city services such as parks, libraries, and police and fire stations, as well as other community-focused services. These benefits will have a lasting impact on the City of Inglewood, as they represent the largest commitment to community improvements in connection to a sports or entertainment venue in the state of California.

Supporting a stronger community

Intuit Dome comes with a community benefits package worth an unprecedented US$100 million to benefit the local community. The majority of the funds are dedicated to affordable housing, and the commitment also includes funds for youth and family programs that will help provide student scholarships, after-school programs, library upgrades and services for senior citizens.

Through design and construction, Social Infrastructure at ArchTam works with clients to support communities and build a better world.

The post Intuit Dome: Creating social value from day one appeared first on Blog.

Bill Hanway is our Global Social Infrastructure lead. In his 25+ years at ArchTam, Bill has brought transformative urban regeneration projects to life, often through the lens of major sports events. Highlights include the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Rio de Janerio Olympics and Paralympic Games, as well as advising the Tokyo Metropolitan Government on the Tokyo 2020 Games. He currently leads our team for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Plan.

How can Social Infrastructure help reduce disparity between communities?

An excellent example is the Golden One Center in Sacramento, California. The downtown core of Sacramento was really struggling, lacking a sense of community and economic opportunities for people. Creating this important piece of social infrastructure here brought citizens back downtown, and we’ve seen total regeneration around the Center that has helped reduce the disparity between this community and the rest of Sacramento.

It’s one thing to deliver a major sports project like the Golden One Center, but I like to think we have the scale, innovation, skills and values that have made it so much more. Solutions for broader regeneration and social value can be developed right from the concept stage, whether we’re looking at a single project or a wider regeneration strategy.

Has creating long-term value for communities become a priority when developing infrastructure?

There is certainly an increasing awareness of the long-term value that can be created by engaging with local stakeholders and the wider community for everyone involved in developing infrastructure. It’s not good enough to develop an isolated plan or avoid the direct needs and challenges of local communities. I believe that’s going to be a driving force when it comes to creating social equity moving forward. You’re no longer just doing a project, but also looking at the context in which you’re building to leave a sustainable legacy for generations to come.

Tell us about a project that has been a personal career highlight and how it impacted the community. My personal highlight is the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We worked on this project for 10 years, from its origins, to the games, through to the legacy delivery. When we started, the area surrounding Stratford in London was an industrial wasteland with no public open space. To witness the transformation over time, attend the opening ceremonies, and experience people enjoying the new amenities was incredible. Later, I got to watch my own children move to the East End to enjoy the success of that labor. It’s truly rewarding to see that momentum carried through to the community that continues to thrive there.

The post Social Infrastructure Spotlight: Bill Hanway appeared first on Blog.

One of the most rewarding parts was knowing that after the games, the area would become a new neighborhood with housing, schools, offices, retail, and open space. We simultaneously created three masterplans—one for the games, one for the transition, and one for legacy. In our masterplans and concept designs for the venues, if a venue had long-term utility for the community or the country, it was remodeled and turned into a new permanent venue for future use. Our team developed an approach that used temporary structures that could be demounted and salvaged, and we researched how we could transform the component parts of the design for other uses like schools and community facilities. The mayor of Rio called this approach “nomadic architecture.”

Who worked on the project?

In Rio, we had a core team of about 25 people who took the games from initial concept all the way through. The team expanded and contracted during that time, based on needs. As the design expanded, we added in architects and landscape architects. When transportation or security became a priority, I knew I could call on these teams. So the team grew to 150 or 200 at some points—but that core team of 25 was always at the heart of it. This team was led by our senior project manager Nadja de Almeida.

ArchTam’s Rio 2016 masterplan for games mode

ArchTam’s Rio 2016 masterplan for legacy mode

What lessons were carried over to Rio from working on the 2012 London Olympics?

We first applied the approach of using the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a platform for a transformational legacy in our work for London 2012. This methodology helped ensure that the investment in future infrastructure and community development was put in place before the games were over. This focus on the revitalization of East London, formerly an area of environmental degradation, heavy infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities, was key to London winning the games. Four years later, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is an anchor for new neighborhoods that will be complete with housing, jobs, schools, transportation and quality open space.

What do you see looking forward to your work on Tokyo 2020 and the Los Angeles bid for 2024?

Tokyo is much more developed as a city in terms of infrastructure and public transport. At the same time, Japan is facing similar challenges in terms of its budget. The International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020 emphasizes the use of existing venues and temporary venues—much as we did for Rio—to ensure that the games are fiscally responsible. We will also see that in the plan for LA, which has an unparalleled number of great venues already in place with a number soon to be built, including the new LA Rams Football Stadium. In addition, LA is already upgrading its transportation network, so the games will focus on using public transport as the primary form of spectator movement. Every successful games needs to reflect the culture of its host city, but as time goes on we will see greater emphasis on new construction of sports venues with a focus on long-term legacy use, not just on the three weeks on the games.

The post Reflections on Rio: interview with Bill Hanway appeared first on Blog.