All-glass buildings remain as popular as ever, especially with the newly minted NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The organization recently unveiled its new stadium design, and for Kansas-based architecture firm Manica Architecture, glass is the central focus. According to officials, preliminary conceptual designs for the Oklahoma City New Arena indicate that the facility will feature a 360-degree glass curtainwall. The curtainwall will offer panoramic views from all interior concourses.
Manica and Atlanta-based TVS are designing the stadium. TVS also designed San Francisco’s Chase Center and Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, which features more than 410,000 square feet of dark-tinted glass engineered, fabricated and installed by Enclos, Giroux Glass, Arup, GC Interpane, Glasswerks, Glass Supply, Pulp Studio and Sensitile.
Oklahoma contractor Flintco will work with Mortenson Construction, a Minneapolis-based contractor. The final design is still subject to Oklahoma City Council approval. Construction is set to start in 2026. The $900-million arena is scheduled to open for the start of the Thunder’s 2028-29 season.
*Photos: Manica Architecture.