Climate Pledge Arena, formerly KeyArena, is the most significant private investment in Pacific Northwest sports and entertainment history. The arena’s 740,000-square-foot interior has be- come the home of the WNBA Seattle Storm and NHL Seattle Kraken. The venue also hosts concerts and other entertainment. An icon of the neighborhood, the arena has brought new life to the Seattle Center, which also contains the iconic Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Pacific Science Center.
Designed in 1962 by architect Paul Thiry as the Washington State Pavilion for the World’s Fair, the space underwent a radical transformation to become a multi-use complex that simultaneously honors Seattle’s iconic history and celebrates its future.
Inspired by the Pacific Northwest, Rockwell Group designed a comprehensive set of amenities inside Climate Pledge Arena. Drawing on its hotel and restaurant expertise and decades of experience designing for performances and live events, Rockwell Group weaved
a hospitality approach throughout at a variety of scales. The spaces include a private lounge and supper club; two luxury suite types, featuring Tunnel Club Suites and The PitchBook Suites; a modern food hall, known as AMEX Hall; two private clubs with craft beer offerings, the Symetra Club and WaFd Bank Club; and a Space Needle Lounge with views of the Space Needle.
THE FUTURE OF LIVE EVENTS
Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena has been designed with the future of live events in mind.
“Within Climate Pledge Arena, we have created unique hospitality spaces that will produce unprecedented entertainment experiences. We drew on the building’s history as the site of the 1962 World’s Fair, which was a catalyst for so much innovation in the city,” says David Rockwell, founder and president, Rockwell Group. “We are thrilled to continue that legacy of innovation in the arena with state-of-the-art technology and unique interactions for audiences to fully participate and immerse themselves in.”
“I have always had a fascination with this building as a native of Seattle,” adds Shawn Sullivan, partner, Rockwell Group. “We are honored to have the opportunity to restore and redesign it with new ways for people to come together and make collective memories. It’s exciting to help reimagine the arena for future generations to come.”
EVENT LEVEL 100
Tunnel Club Suites
The 19 residential-style Tunnel Club Suites were designed to offer a personal and theatrical connection with the game and the rituals of preparing to go out onto the court or ice. From each suite, guests can observe players walk through a tunnel from the locker room. Seen through a one-way mirror, the passageways are outfitted LED screens. Suite holders have direct access through the tunnel to their dedicated seating inside the arena. The suites encompass 18,870 net square feet.
Verizon Lounge
The Verizon Lounge is an exclusive private lounge and supper club. It was inspired by an upscale version of Seattle’s historic underground passageways. Plush niches envelop guests in emerald velvet drapery and feature a series of barrel-vaulted lounge spaces that orient toward a central bar. The sophisticated palette features a vaulted white plaster ceiling, smoked mirrors and brass screens that offset deep aquamarine millwork wall panels. The 3,220-square-foot lounge includes 117 seats.
MAIN CONCOURSE, LEVEL 300
The Symetra Club and The WaFd Bank Club
Accommodating 1,300-1,700 guests, the 12,380-square-foot Symetra and WaFd Bank clubs feature a bar area flanked by communal gathering areas, specialty food counters and a craft brewery. Drawing from found industrial spaces in Seattle, such as Gas Works Park, the club features corrugated steel, rough-hewn white oak, reclaimed brick, woven steel mesh and board-formed concrete.
A central illuminated backlit double-height bar dominates the space, adding a voyeuristic element where guests can “see and be seen” from multiple levels and vantage points. The Suite Concourse above is crafted to look like a suspended catwalk or bridge while the craft-beer area, inspired by Seattle’s Pike’s Place market, features bright, festooned lights and bold signage.
PHOTOS: Alex Fradkin
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