Team Effort Scores at Everett Events Center

By Troy Thrun

A sophisticated catwalk system supports lighting for sporting events, fixtures that illuminate the exit aisles and general house lighting. Photo courtesy of Sparling

What happens when a team of electrical, telecommunications, lighting, and audiovisual designers combine expertise with a seasoned design-build electrical contractor? The result is a more flexible, user-friendly building.

Sparling, Candela Architectural Lighting Consultants, and Valley Electric first discussed how to make the Everett Events Center flexible during the design competition phase. This collaboration continued as the team explored possibilities for the facility.

Sparling's recent work at the newly renovated Hec Edmundson Pavilion and Valley Electric's work on the Spokane Arena helped deliver innovative design solutions for the new arena.

A sophisticated catwalk system does triple duty in serving the arena's lighting needs. Directed metal halide sports lighting mounted on the catwalk system provides horizontal and vertical illumination for televised hockey games. An emergency generator powers sharply focused lighting fixtures to ensure safe passage along the exit aisles. General house lighting, also supplied by the catwalk system, illuminates the convention floor and lower seats.

Fixtures suspended from the metal structure above illuminate the upper bowl, giving the space a uniform brightness when desired.

Double stack, center-hung cable trays installed around the upper bowl walkway and lower event level distribute permanently installed voice/data and AV cables. This design also offers a temporary pathway for cables from broadcast trucks during network filming.

A computer modeled sound reinforcement system ensures clarity of announcements during events, a critical consideration in this type of space. Production intercoms keep performers and arena staff informed during concerts and games. Numerous television sets mounted at concession stands and along the concourse provide patrons a visual link to the action while they are out of their seats.

Electrical transformers and panel boards on the floor can temporarily power up the most popular music acts, live theater, or interactive booths for conventions.

The success of the design-build process on this project was due in part to trust between the parties involved. Pooling the designers' expertise and vision with the contractor's background in constructability and cost modeling created a very special place indeed.

Troy Thrun is principal of a design studio that specializes in commercial and higher education projects at Sparling, an electrical engineering and technology consulting firm in Seattle.