Located along historic Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, the Barclays Center is an urban arena that plays host to a variety of cultural and sports events. Opened in 2012, the venue now serves as the official home for two major sports teams: the New York Islanders and the Brooklyn Nets. The basketball team is managed by BSE Global; a Client that TPG successfully collaborated with on the design of their Industry City-based headquarters in 2018. Since TPG understands the identity and ethos of the BSE brand, they awarded the firm the project of redesigning one of the exclusive lounges in the Barclays Center. Renamed as the Diamond Lounge, the new space provides select members with a premium experience in this unique, sophisticated retreat within the Barclays Center.
The Diamond Lounge functions as an agile hospitality space that can accommodate live entertainment, private gatherings, as well as high volume dining events. The design team’s concept creates a versatile atmosphere where a mix of gracious mystique merges with the industrial Brooklyn elements. For the reception area, a coat check for guests is integrated into a feature wall displaying an illuminated diamond, on-brand for the lounge. The open area is broken up into a bar with nearby high top seating, and the main dining area. The materials selected for the space, such as light-colored surfaces and metallic wallcoverings, are intended to bring softness, texture, and an illuminated quality to an otherwise dark space. This new palette is comprised of burnished copper, golden topaz, muted navy, and misty grey, with accents of olive and brick red to offer a relaxed sense of luxury.
Keeping in mind TPG’s partnership with BSE Global, the design team wanted to ensure that the space will be reflective of the brand’s overarching core values - creating memories through dynamic content and experiences for all audiences. With this in mind, the team selected custom pieces of furniture that can easily be moved to accommodate more hospitality-oriented setups such as a stage for live musical performances.
