Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena

Irvine, CA
Construction Cost: $104 million
Area / Square Feet: 280,000
Occupancy Date: January 2019

The Great Park Ice and FivePoint Arena combines the largest community ice complex in California with a new training facility for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, as well as the United States Figure Skating Team. The building features four indoor ice rinks — three NHL regulation rinks and one Olympic regulation rink — a full-service restaurant and bar, a pro shop, a café and a gym.

The project offers high-quality ice sports programming and activities, including youth and adult hockey leagues, figure skating, regional and national tournaments and competitions, as well as open public recreational skating. It also offers private rentals, group skates, broomball and curling leagues. Additionally, the facility offers visitors a free “Learn to Play Hockey” program for both youths and adults. The main FivePoint Arena can host a wide variety of sporting and entertainment events. Other features include party rooms, classrooms, conference spaces and outdoor public spaces and amenities.

The design and client team set out to redefine what this typology should be in southern California’s mild and sunny climate. The design gives users and families a broader experience while challenging the paradigm that these facilities are intrinsically poor energy performers. The result is a design that balances indoor and outdoor amenities and performs 41 percent better than stringent California Energy Code requirements. The site features outdoor spaces that include an activity lawn (The Boardwalk), and a café terrace (The Beach) that features a sandy recreational area for the community, with beach chairs and umbrellas. The project opens to the Great Park of Orange County and delineates an edge to the community beyond.

Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena

Judge's Comments

“The Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena goes above and beyond the expected for this type of facility. I really enjoyed the restrained black and white interiors palette contrasted with the in-your-face orange and blue accent colors.” — William Schenck

“A fun and exciting combination of color and materials at the main entry and within the lobby of this large facility offers an energetic wayfinding experience for visitors.” — Katie Barnes