Design
Why Reviewing Brooklyn's New Arena Before It Opened Was Premature
Barclays Center can't be assessed as a standalone building; its impact on the surrounding neighborhood must be taken into account.
The most photographed building in New York in recent weeks has undoubtedly been the new Barclays Center arena, which officially opened September 28 at the busy, angled crossroads of Atlantic and Flatbush avenues, where downtown Brooklyn turns into Prospect Heights.
Designed by sports specialist Ellerbe Becket (now AECOM) and the buzzy New York firm SHoP, the arena presents an undulating facade of pre-rusted metal and an oculus--an elliptical opening--that extends over the entrance plaza and offers digital advertising, art, and announcements. A new portal to Brooklyn's biggest subway hub delivers event-goers up an escalator to a dramatic view of the looming frame.