LaBahn Arena, University of Wisconsin

The new ice arena at the University of Wisconsin complements the Kohl Center — an iconic building for the campus and the city — while also defining a visual and physical identity for the hockey program. More than a simple ice sheet addition, the arena creates a well-defined identity and “Home for Hockey” worthy of two of the nation’s top men’s and women’s hockey programs.

Beyond the hockey programming needs, LaBahn Arena provides locker suites for the basketball and swimming programs, located in the adjacent Kohl Center and Southeast Recreational Facility (SERF), respectively. Creative planning resulted in a solution that takes advantage of site adjacencies and avoids competing overlap between the programs. Hockey locker suites are located under the Kohl Center plaza and act as an “underground bridge” between the two facilities, preserving the exterior plaza for event traffic.

Alternating glass and precast concrete panels reflect the vertical rhythm of the Kohl Center and provide visual intrigue along the north promenade. Long horizontal metal panels alternate in thickness and color, mimicking the horizontal glass panels of the adjacent Kohl Center while still providing a unique, contemporary look for LaBahn Arena.