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Keeping sports spectators engaged was once relatively straightforward. Fans were satisfied with a steady supply of ice-cold suds, readily available hot dogs, and a bit of live entertainment. Those days are gone. Rising expectations for higher-quality dining, greater comfort, and a variety of viewing experiences are now driving the construction and renovation of stadiums and arenas across the country. Brooklyn’s Barclays Center is one such sports and concert venue undergoing a comprehensive transformation. The multiyear renovation, led by Populous with designer Focus Lighting, includes Gallagher Terrace, a premium club space whose richly detailed interiors and dramatic lighting aim to elevate the game-day experience.
The 5,500-square-foot project replaces an underutilized section of the arena with five tiers of baseline-facing banquettes and a semicircular full-service bar. Its sumptuous design is intended to impart an air of Gilded Age grandeur. The renovation, and the larger master plan of which it is part, is, according to BKSE Global (Barclays Center’s owner and operator) vice president Kevin Discepolo, a matter of boosting the visitor experience. “We’re in the business of making memorable moments, and, though we can’t control what happens on the court, we are able to shape the environment in which it is watched.”
A crystalline glass chandelier illuminates the bar. Photo © Tom Harris
Positioned just past the entrance to Gallagher Terrace, the bar serves as the space’s focal point. It is richly detailed with tile mosaics, brass-colored fixtures, porcelain slabs, and crowned by a dramatic glass chandelier. The luminous canopy comprises nearly 3,600 amber-colored glass pendants, fabricated by Venetian glassmaker Sogni Di Cristallo. Suspended at varying heights, the faceted, diamond-shaped pieces form a shimmering ceiling installation whose semi-vaulted appearance recalls an abstracted muqarnas. Standard 5-watt E12 bulbs illuminate the display, while mirrored surfaces above and behind the bar amplify its warm glow.
“The idea was to incorporate something decorative, in a way that adds a true wow factor,” explains Populous senior principal Isabelle Ivanov-Rijnties. “The chandelier does not overpower or overwhelm but becomes a warm, glowing beacon.”
Patrons descend from the bar area to the table-service banquettes via three staircases flanked by illuminated handrails and an encircling balustrade. Both elements are split into two compartments fitted with separate DMX-controlled RGBW LED tape; one sits under a metal decorative panel, and the other half is open. “We wanted the ability to separate color, and, unlike what we did with the chandelier, to hide the source of illumination and create a smooth strip of light,” explains Focus Lighting principal Christine Heller.
Patrons view the court from tiers of banquettes. Photo © Tom Harris
On a Friday night in June, I watched the New York Liberty narrowly lose to the Washington Mystics from the lofty vantage point of Gallagher Terrace. With the warm glow of the bar’s chandelier behind me and the surrounding LED fixtures adjusting in real time to the game’s events, it became clear that this environment shaped by the dual aspirations of hospitality and spectatorship is a slam dunk.
Image courtesy Populous; click to enlarge
Credits
Architect:
Populous — Adam Stover, Isabelle Ivanov-Rijnties, senior principals; Bryan Klote, Ariel Shockley, Kyle Marsh, Jim Jamis, project architects; Phasit Rattanachaisit, Zi Wang, interior designers
Lighting Designer:
Focus Lighting — Christine Heller, principal
Engineers:
Thornton Tomasetti (structural); ME (MEP, AV)
General Contractor:
Shawmut Design and Construction
Client:
BKSE Global
Size:
5,500 square feet
Cost:
$7.29 million
Completion:
October 2025
Sources
Chandelier:
Sogni di Cristallo
Special Surfacing:
Sicis
Fixed Seating:
Martin Brattrud
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