A new fan-friendly 10,600-seat arena, designed by Mackey Mitchell with Denver-based Sink Combs Dethlefs, provides an exciting new venue for SLU's men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams. Combining state-of-the-art amenities along with numerous environmental design features, the $70 million multi-purpose Chaifetz Arena also accommodates large-scale concerts, creating excitement in the heart of mid-town St. Louis as well as on Saint Louis University's campus. At night, the well-lit concourse highlights activities and movement within.
Shape
Serving as an anchor to the Southeast corner of Saint Louis University, the design team wanted a building that would complement the campus while presenting a civic face to general traffic along Interstate 64. To avoid a maze-like experience, the arena features a single concourse surrounded by glass, giving spectators a strong sense of orientation with views to the Gateway Arch, a major interstate, nearby campus athletic fields, and indoor practice courts. Solid brick corners, or bastions, handle mechanical and structural elements. The design provides easy egress, wayfinding and orientation, and creates a sense of energy by providing visitors with an immediate view into the bowl.
Inspire
Known as the "Jewel of Midtown," the award-winning Chaifetz arena is nestled into the surrounding landscape and provides a more intimate venue than most comparably sized arenas. With the event floor at 25 feet below grade, the building sits comfortably within its surrounding context. The single concourse and fan-friendly setup was designed to make Chaifetz Arena a "comfortable place to host an event," said Denise Taylor, SLU's former associate vice president for facilities planning. "You don't feel like you're in a maze." At night, the concourse lighting glows like a lantern, highlighting the activities and movement within. Visitors are engaged even before they enter the building.
Passion + Perspective
Sketch and rendering of main concourse helps the design team and the client understand the look and feel of the space.
Schematic Design progress meetings are held at regular intervals in the course of the project. By having all participants at the table, ideas are discussed and informed decisions are made quickly.
This conceptual sketch of two story concourse will be the foundation of a future color rendering.
Early model of the exterior design are used to understand the scale and massing of the project.
The project is always being refined during the design process. This sketch illustrates our changes to the strength training program.
Chaifetz Arena is one of the best 10,000+ seat arenas in the country. It’s a good example of a successful collaboration among the architect, operator, contractor and owner with a common goal to provide a first class sports and entertainment arena.
- Dan Rubino Director of Projects, Global Spectrum
