By Mark Rea

Glass and aluminum exteriors, architectural precast siding, a huge rotunda at the main entrance, distinctive landscaping and some of the most unusual interior finishes ever used for a sports venue make the new Toyota Center one of the most uniquely designed professional sports arenas in the country.

From its outdoor garden ringed in palm trees to more than 34 food-serving areas inside, the $220 million facility features some of the most up-to-date amenities for fans of basketball, hockey, concerts and other events.

The Houston office of Morris Architects is the architect of record for the arena project, but the company received input from international design architect HOK Inc. of Kansas City. Mo., as well as distinctive Houston-area flair from Prozign Architects, the adjacent parking garage designer, and associate architect John S. Chase Architects Inc.

HOK's Sport+Venue+Event division has designed numerous professional sports facilities throughout the United States, including the $425 million Reliant Stadium in Houston, the first retractable-roof stadium in the National Football League.

Project architect David Manica, who also worked on Reliant Stadium, began in 1999 with programming meetings with the arena owner (Harris County Houston Sports Authority), the primary occupant (the NBA's Houston Rockets) and Morris Architects to design the new facility.

"Based upon those initial meetings, HOK released a set of schematic drawings that were released in February 2000," said Morris Architects vice president Scott Watkins.
"From that point through the end of May 2000, in conjunction with our office, we developed a set of design development drawings. Those were the basis for the entire set of construction plans that we have done on the arena since that point."

Every two weeks between summer 2000 and fall 2001 when construction began, coordination meetings were held between the design team and consulting engineers, landscape architects and others to discuss issues and anticipate future problems.

"It really helped to get everyone on the same page from the beginning," Manica said.

The main entry for the arena is on the northwest corner of the structure, also called the rotunda. From inside the large, open area, patrons can see the downtown Houston skyline and then also view a 16-by-30-ft. electronic message board. Visitors will immediately notice the generous amounts of glass curtainwall and then be greeted by escalators, stairwells and concession areas.

Beige terrazzo articulated with stripes and graphics will make up the majority of the main concourse level. There will also be streaks of blue and red (the Rockets' official team colors) woven throughout the flooring, which was installed by Houston-based National Terrazzo & Tile Co.

There are 34 food serving areas, including two large food courts at the south end of the main concourse and two more on the upper concourse. There are also a variety of smaller concession areas scattered throughout the remainder of the arena as well as a large banquet space on the south end, called the VIP Lounge, featuring a pair of 16-ft.-tall wine coolers.

While the 20,000-sq.-ft. VIP Lounge will be reserved for luxury suite owners, other arena patrons can visit either of two club lounges located on the east and west sides of the main concourse. Each runs the length of the entire basketball court or ice hockey rink. Finishes in those areas feature generous amounts of granite, while flooring in the lounges is a unique mix of carpeting and high-polished maple to resemble the basketball hardwood court.

A team store on the main concourse level also resembles a basketball court with its use of the maple wood finishes. Along with display cases featuring memorabilia from the Rockets and Comets, there is a basketball hoop installed inside for a little extra shooting practice.

On the southwest corner of the building, the Rockets can practice for real on a regulation-sized practice court. The court is recessed 6 ft. below the main concourse level and there are several storefront panels where the public can view practice sessions. The practice court is also visible through glass panels at street level outside the arena.

Spacious weight rooms, training facilities and locker-room areas for the Comets, Rockets and Aeros are located on the event level, while several thousand square feet of office space is situated on upper and lower levels.

Top-Shelf Amenities

The Toyota Center features nearly 100 luxury suites on three separate levels.

Fourteen courtside bunker suites are located beneath the seating bowl and are accessible only by suite-holders. Individual bunker suites are approximately 500 sq. ft. and come equipped with huge flat-screen, plasma television screens, heavyweight carpet, a unique Italian red polished plaster and plenty of space for entertaining.

On the upper levels, the arena features 82 luxury suites and three oversized party suites. Each 400-sq.-ft. luxury suite can seat up to 14 guests, while the 2,000-sq.-ft. party suites can accommodate up to 50 people.

Heavyweight carpeting and maple hardwood cover the floors of the suites, and each also features a plasma TV and the distinctive red Italian plaster finishes. The suites on the upper levels also boast unique entryways wrapped in polished maple.

Each level has four separate food pantries to distribute food to the various luxury suites and other restaurant facilities, while the arena's spacious main commissary is on the service level.

Distinctive Exterior

Featuring a series of Earth tones, the Toyota Center will be instantly recognizable by its exterior curtainwall system and metal panels that feature a silver aluminum look.

The exterior is a combination of Texas limestone-colored Arriscraft, medium-brown architectural precast concrete and the aluminum curtainwall system, which features a slightly green tint to the glass. As visitors make their way toward the main entrance, there will be palm trees as well as Live oaks and other indigenous trees scattered throughout the property. The main entrance will also have distinctive landscape and hardscape features, including a lighted seating area with a series of flagpoles ringing the perimeter.

As patrons enter the arena, "The rotunda gives a very unique approach," Watkins said.
"Most people who visit the arena are going to be going through that area and I think they will be surprised about the open feeling it conveys. It really is like no other building design downtown.

"Part of the design intent of the entire project was to make the area open to the surrounding area and make it a seamless part of the rest of the city. That was the reasoning behind the rotunda entryway and all of the glass. Also a lot of the graphics are modeled in a space theme, which is certainly part of Houston's proud history as well as a play on the Rockets' name."