The Future Home Of The Calgary Flames

from Eric Francis of Sportsnet, There was never any chance the future home of the Calgary Flames would include architecture as iconic as a saddle-shaped roof. But what Calgarians saw at Monday’s design unveiling and sod-turning ceremony was a building far more striking than many anticipated. Scotia Place, the $800-million building, was designed with a fire and ice theme that includes a depiction of flames on the upper level of the façade, known as "The Cauldron." An open-air patio will sit above the main entrance and beneath it will be a 140-metre digital display, believed to be the longest in Canada. Unlike the previous design, which died when the Flames pulled out of an agreement with the city in 2021 due to escalating costs, this one is stunning. And while the project (and budget) promised to be much grander this time around, the focal point was always said to be the building’s functionality inside.... “I believe Scotia Place will be the first, world-class, state-of-the-art building that will raise the bar in the entertainment business for a lot of reasons,” said design principal for the international architectural firm HOK, Bill Johnson. “We built flexibility into the seating — very intimate seating, so when concerts or events come you’re going to feel like you’re right on top of the action.... Johnson said Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit, another one of HOK’s projects, provided the lion’s share of inspiration, due to the steep grade of seats surrounding the ice. more