Seattle-based LMN Architects’ scheme for the 154,400-square-foot multiuse ShoWare Center (the ice sheet can be covered and the seating reconfigured for concerts) choreographs that time between getting out of your car and arriving at your seat. “We analyzed all the architectural elements according to how they create the complete sequence, and how they culminate in the overall dramatic experience,” says LMN design partner Mark Reddington. “That experience starts when you see the building. It extends into the community, even to those who aren’t going to the event.”
Indeed, the atmosphere is electric, literally. Green lines painted on the ground and trimmed with LEDs radiate out from the glazed public concourse into the parking lot, serving as paths to the building’s entrance. Spectators are greeted by a large sloping mirrored stainless steel soffit, which reflects everything from fans to supergraphics, making even a half-full house seem dizzyingly energetic......more at architectmagazine
