On Wednesday, Mayor David Holt and architect-designer David Manica unveiled the conceptual design for the OKC Thunder’s new arena. Manica has spent the last 8 months researching the history of Oklahoma City and talking with the team, city officials and others about their vision for the new venue. News 9 got the chance to talk to him about what inspired the new design.
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Q1: Why was uniqueness such an important aspect of the arena’s design?
Manica said the uniqueness of Oklahoma City itself demanded a one-of-a-kind design. He described the city’s story as “unique,” and said that uniqueness deserved to be reflected in the architecture.
“It deserved that. It deserved that uniqueness,” Manica said. “I’d like to think that all my projects are unique. I’d like to think that they all tell a story.”Q2: How did the concept of unity shape the building’s design?
Manica emphasized that unity was central to both the seating bowl and the building layout. Every aspect of the interior was designed to bring people together physically and visually.
“We intentionally made it feel like one space,” Manica said. “The club seats flow into the GA seats, and the suites are blended into the rest… So, it all feels like one design idea.”
He also pointed to the 360-degree concourse and all-glass facade as elements that extend that feeling of inclusion beyond the interior.
“What struck me about the spirit of this city is that it’s what’s on the inside that’s more important than what’s on the outside.”Q3: Besides square footage, what priorities were emphasized by the team and city?
Budget was a major factor, according to Manica. He said efficiency guided many design decisions — including the use of standardized glass panes — without sacrificing function or beauty.
“We’ve been very careful to keep this thing on budget,” he said. “I believe the glass facade is also very, very efficient and very, very cost-effective.”
Fan experience and flexibility for concerts and entertainment events were also core requests from the city and Thunder.
“They certainly didn’t want to take a step backwards… They had to make sure that in every way, when someone walked into this new building, they were impressed and happy and enthused and excited to be in the new building, and not in any missing the old building.”Q4: What did it feel like to reach a final conceptual design?
Manica described the moment as emotional and deeply fulfilling.
“I watched that video for the 100th time today… and I was moved to tears again,” he said.
He emphasized that final approval always comes from the client, not the architect.
“For the client to say, ‘This is what I love, this is what I want to do’… it’s enormously satisfying and joyous.”Q5: Were there any design ideas you had to leave behind?
Manica declined to name specifics, calling them “architect’s secrets,” but said he was proud of what was retained.
“There’s nothing that I sort of wish we had done differently,” he said. “If you get the big picture right… the details kind of fall into place.”Q6: Was future development around the arena part of your thinking?
Manica said the team acknowledged the potential for future development south of the new arena, where the current Paycom Center stands. In renderings, ghosted buildings hint at what might come.
“We didn’t design it, but we placed ghosted buildings so no one would think there’d be two arenas sitting right next to each other.”
He said their focus remained on perfecting the design of the arena itself.
Q7: Was there something local to Oklahoma that you felt had to be represented in the design?
Yes, including the red dirt and the iconic Oklahoma sunsets.
“That soil, that earth, is something special here,” Manica said. “It even sort of floats up into the air and becomes part of your sunset magic.”
He also mentioned that the Thunder’s colors echo the colors of the sky during sunset, which became a subtle part of the story.
“The best stories are told through metaphors and subtleties rather than sledgehammers.”Q8: Was there anything distinct about Oklahoma that influenced you most?
Manica credited the people of Oklahoma as his primary inspiration.
“The people are the most magical part of my experience here so far,” he said. “I really wanted this building to be about that personality… that generosity and care.”Q9: Did the Oklahoma City National Memorial influence your design?
Yes. Manica visited the Memorial twice before even being hired. He said the site inspired him in a hopeful way, tied to the city’s transformation after tragedy.
“It was at the heart of the transformation of this city,” he said.
Manica also cited the Japanese art of kintsugi, repairing broken pottery with gold, as a metaphor that influenced the arena’s concept.
Q10: What questions do you anticipate from the public?
Manica said he expects concerns about the glass, including heat, weather, and safety, but emphasized it is a high-performance material.
“The glass is both insulated and laminated, which basically makes it bulletproof against the weather.”
He added that it will be bird-safe and designed to control solar heat and radiation.
“It’s a really, really smart, highly technical facade enclosure,” he said.
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