Design unveiled for Abu Dhabi arena

The team, which is led by WSP and also includes HOK and Pascall & Watson, was engaged by Miral Asset Management, the entity responsible for the development of the southern part of Yas Island.

In addition to the architectural design of Yas Arena, HOK has designed the adjacent arena retail and dining destination along the boardwalk, forming a mixed-use anchor on the east end of Yas Bay.

“Our goal is to create an exceptional entertainment experience for fans and spectators,” said John Rhodes, a director of HOK’s sports, recreation and entertainment practice. “Yas Arena will be the centrepiece of the development and serve as a destination on Yas Island.”

HOK has designed Yas Arena to create an intimate, highly flexible and efficient venue with excellent acoustics that can be used year-round for a variety of sport and entertainment events. “Our team knew the building needed to be smart, adaptable and technologically-advanced in order to efficiently transform for the wide variety of events the client wished to host,” added Rhodes. “This ‘transformability’ will make Yas Arena one of the most sophisticated arenas in the world.”

The arena is designed to expand from a 500-seat theatre to an 18,000-capacity venue, maximising revenue and supporting a wide variety of events including community gatherings, concerts, performances, sporting events, and meetings and conventions.  

Additional amenities, including food and beverage suppliers, will be located adjacent to the arena to create a linear street that stretches down the waterfront promenade. This outdoor concourse is intended to create a festival-like atmosphere to generate year-round activity. The outdoor concourse will provide connectivity to the surrounding district on Yas Bay.

Yas Island is a new multipurpose leisure, shopping and entertainment area n that includes a hotel cluster, the Yas Marina F1 circuit and a growing number of theme parks. Yas Arena will be located directly on the waterfront and serve as an anchor for the promenade, which will feature more than 50 cafes and restaurants, 20 retail outlets, a recreational pier, two hotels and a beach club.

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