Intuit Dome | Los Angeles - California | 2023

Architects: AECOM
Associate Architects: Anderson Barker Architects and Hood Design Studio
General Contractor: AECOM Hunt
Client: Los Angeles Clippers LLC.
Photographers: AECOM

The design for the new arena for the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team has been developed to advance the typology of the arena building. The unique characteristics of the site, climate, and program have allowed them to create a multidimensional experience that goes beyond that of a typical venue.
The program is enveloped by a structural gridshell which defines and encloses the entire facility but has a loose fit to the conditioned program so unique informal spaces result. The gridshell carries a system of lightweight panels that modulate wind, sun, and rain.

The orientation of the panels has been digitally optimized for their performance and the resulting dynamic pattern resembles growth forms found in nature. Each of the primary levels of the interior program has access to the informal outdoor terraces and gardens that link the natural environment.
These spaces help to enhance the experience of fans attending games or concerts by giving them an opportunity to take a break from the noise and excitement of the event. They provide a connection to the outdoors for the athletes and coaches on the team who spend long hours in the practice facility. These informal areas also provide a better work environment for the office staff who will be in the facility year-round.

The spaces allow for work to be done in daylight and fresh air and their arrangement encourages chance meetings between different departments. The informal spaces are programmed with landscape and furniture that make them attractive for all of the users of the facility. The shell design also has been developed to improve the outward perception of the venue. Since the primary interior spaces are separately enclosed and acoustically insulated, the informal exterior spaces can be open so the life and activity taking place in the building are visible. In addition to views of activity, the open cladding materials catch illumination from color-changing LED luminaires so the building has a glowing presence when seen from afar.

The design of the Intuit Dome program will allow it to be the first carbon-neutral arena, but equally important is how that program connects physically and visually to the surrounding neighborhood. The active informal areas give the building a lively presence while the public can engage the facility through several community spaces.