PROJECT
exteriors
Green Walls Enliven Exterior LiveWall system greens the outside of the Golden 1 Center.
A
s fans approach Golden 1
ing patterns of sun and shade around
Center, home of the NBA’s
the building.”
Kings,
The design and materials of the
they see living symbols of the Kings’
Sacramento
(CA)
building’s façade evoke the granite and
commitment to sustainability: seven
grandeur of the nearby Sierra Nevada
green walls totaling 4,800 sq. ft. and
Mountains. The green walls are posi-
featuring 5,400 plants.
tioned beneath Golden 1 Center’s dis-
“The inspired idea was to make the
tinctive reflective aluminum panels,
building look as if it rests on the green
which are etched with 3-in. modernist
wall, rooting the arena in the landscape
leaf designs based on photographs of a
and extending the landscape from the
leafy street in East Sacramento.
new plaza up to the walls of the arena
The “Million Trees” panels with
itself,” said James Haig Streeter, land-
hundreds of thousands of leaves convey
scape design lead, AECOM, Los Ange-
the sense of billowing valley oak-tree
les. The arena, he explained, “appears
canopies on the arena’s exterior. De-
to emerge from the landscape, and visi-
pending on the time of day and posi-
tors see vibrant bands of green that
tion of the sun, the shadows on the
change with different sections display-
leaves look different, and in combina-
ing different plants based on the vary-
tion with the building’s ceramic frit glass, the arena takes on different colors of silver and gold tones. As integrated elements, the glass, metal panels, green walls at the base of the building, and the landscape of the surrounding plaza (including a walnut grove) make the facility come alive. GREEN-WALL SOLUTION
In evaluating green-wall system options for the arena project, AECOM designers considered several critical success factors. “We wanted a proven, triedand-true system with well-engineered components that could scale up,” said Haig Streeter. “It was important for the green-wall design to provide adequate soil depth and volume to protect the Far left. As fans approach Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, they see living symbols of the Kings’ commitment to sustainability through the use of live walls. Left. On the south side of L Street, the plaza is above street level with a retail area at the base of the building. The plant mixes on the walls emphasize ferns and grasses of the area.
32
COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE
MARCH 2017
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
