Mobile Arena
Populous was commissioned by the City of Mobile, Alabama, to evaluate a 1960s-era multipurpose arena for renovation or replacement. The study included community input sessions with stakeholders, conceptual design options and programmatic and fiscal analysis of the venue.
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Year
TBC
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Client
City of Mobile
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Total Capacity
8,500
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Disciplines
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Collections
The decision was made by Mobile City Council that a new arena, Mobile Arena, was the best option to meet modern sports and entertainment technical requirements and address the community's 21st-century needs. Populous led the project design in collaboration with the Mobile office of regional architecture firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood.
The design for the new arena is inspired by local influences, including its downtown Mobile location and the character of the surrounding historic district. Architecturally significant ornamental ironwork, a hallmark of the Gulf Coast region, informs both the materiality and detailing. The 8,500-seat multi-purpose venue is designed to accommodate a wide range of events, from stage and ice performances like concerts, comedy acts and ice shows to court and arena sports such as volleyball, basketball, hockey, and arena football. A new semi-professional hockey team is expected to call the arena home.
Mobile was the first city in the United States to host a Mardi Gras parade, with celebrations dating back to 1703.The design includes unique spaces for Mardi Gras, featuring a large grand hall lobby, flexible ballrooms and outdoor terraces overlooking the surrounding historic neighborhood. These spaces were intentionally planned to host multiple Mardi Gras events at once. The arena’s schedule is even aligned with Mardi Gras, with a grand opening targeted for the 2027 season.
Surrounded by a historic residential neighborhood, the arena’s site design weaves back into Mobile’s street grid. A new civic square and extended public promenade create active outdoor space along the building’s western edge, where the grand hall faces the city. Inspired by the organic forms of the South, its estuaries, ironwork and oak trees, the architecture balances ceremony and collective energy.
Mobile was the first city in the United States to host a Mardi Gras parade, with celebrations dating back to 1703.The design includes unique spaces for Mardi Gras, featuring a large grand hall lobby, flexible ballrooms and outdoor terraces overlooking the surrounding historic neighborhood. These spaces were intentionally planned to host multiple Mardi Gras events at once. The arena’s schedule is even aligned with Mardi Gras, with a grand opening targeted for the 2027 season.
Surrounded by a historic residential neighborhood, the arena’s site design weaves back into Mobile’s street grid. A new civic square and extended public promenade create active outdoor space along the building’s western edge, where the grand hall faces the city. Inspired by the organic forms of the South, its estuaries, ironwork and oak trees, the architecture balances ceremony and collective energy.
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