The Barclays Sports Center, built of weathering steel, is the home of the Brooklyn nets of the NBA, where more than 200 different cultural and sports events are held on a regular basis every year. At the same time, Barclays sports center plays a key role in the development of Atlantic yards, and also relieves the pressure of new and affordable housing in the surrounding area of Brooklyn.
The facade of the gymnasium, which looks like a sculpture, is wrapped by overlapping weathering steel and glass. The interaction between texture and material strengthens the contrast between light and dark: the scale of curved metal lattice creates rich and dynamic texture surface, while the introduction of a section of glass enhances the lightness, and fully displays the internal environment of the venue to the surrounding adjacent areas. The building has been successfully integrated into the busiest urban intersection in the metropolitan area of New York. By controlling its architectural form, material and volume, it shows the perfect combination of its function and environment.
The unique feature of weathering steel is that the skin with rich weathering can show different changes in different weather and light environment, while the glass between Weathering Steel reflects the color of sky and surrounding urban landscape. Under the design of special lighting, people can also see the undulating line light between the lattices wrapped with weather resistant steel on the exterior facade of the building in the field, wrapped under the dark ceiling of the main floor. The aesthetic feeling of the facade is further depicted, which indirectly becomes an instruction to help people find their direction in a bowl like venue.
The building lobby and the arena are also connected by glass walls, which ensures the best accessibility and visibility of public areas. Like the lobby, it reconnects the city's streetscape with the museum's sports.
On the upper floor of the main square, the north and South clubs create a more comfortable experience - a sharp contrast between the colors and materials of the public areas. The ceiling here is covered with a stepped white fabric, and the design inspiration is also extracted from the dynamic pattern of the external steel skin.
