The J.S. Dorton Arena is a multi-purpose facility located in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. The arena opened in 1952 and its innovative design, by Polish architect Maciej Nowicki, has received worldwide acclaim.
The principal designer of the project was Maciej Nowicki, a professor at North Carolina State University, who died in a plane crash before construction of the arena had even begun. The completion of the building was overseen by architect William Henley Dietrick, who remained true to Nowicki’s original idea. With a capacity of 7,610 people, the arena is notable for its distinctive saddle-shaped roof, supported by parabolic concrete arches that rise some six metres above the ground. Significantly, the roof does not rest on the outer walls, giving the building an unusual appearance and lightness. The canopy, supported by steel cables, is the first structure of its kind in the world, making the Dorton Arena a landmark engineering achievement on a global scale.
Construction of the arena, 1951 Photo: Brazilian National Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Dorton Arena was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and in 2002 the American Society of Civil Engineers recognised it as a National Civil Engineering Landmark. The arena’s architecture was the inspiration for later stadiums such as the Houston Astrodome and Louisiana Superdome. Initially named the State Fair Arena, it was dedicated in 1961 to Dr. J.S. Dorton, former manager of the North Carolina State Fair, who contributed greatly to its development.
Dorton Arena has hosted many sporting events over the decades. From 1991 to 1998, the facility was home to the Raleigh IceCaps hockey team, playing in the ECHL league. Prior to that, the Carolina Cougars, an American Basketball Association (ABA) team, played their games here from 1969 to 1974. This team, coached by the legendary Larry Brown, played an important role in the history of American basketball. The arena was also a popular venue for wrestling events in the 1970s and 1980s, with one of the most memorable moments being Rowdy Roddy Piper’s victory over Ric Flair in the 1981 National Wrestling Alliance championship bout. As of 2016, Dorton Arena was the venue for the Triangle Torch indoor football team. Although the team left the arena in 2018, the venue continues to attract sporting events.
The arena also happens to host many concerts, especially during the annual North Carolina State Fair. Although the building was not originally designed for such events, numerous upgrades have improved the acoustics, allowing Dorton Arena to host performances by many well-known artists such as Led Zeppelin, The Jackson 5, Bon Jovi and Prince. In addition to concerts, the arena is used for various fairs, conventions and as an exhibition space. It is also the venue for graduation ceremonies for students from local universities.
The arena’s innovative roof, supported by steel cables, has become a model for future architectural designs. The parabolic concrete arches slope in such a way that they become almost parallel to the ground, creating a distinctive building block. Cables, stretched between the arches, stabilise the entire structure and give it lightness. This unique solution, used for the first time in architecture, opened a new era in the construction of large buildings. With its unique design and rich history, the J.S. Dorton Arena remains one of the most important engineering symbols in the United States. Although technology has advanced, its innovative solutions continue to inspire architects around the world today.
Maciej Nowicki, also known as Matthew Nowicki, was a prominent Polish architect and illustrator, born on 26 June 1910 in Chita, Siberia. Together with his wife Stanisława Sandecka, Nowicki gained recognition for his drawing skills and their jointly designed buildings, such as the modernist Excursion House in Augustów. After the war, Nowicki moved to the United States, where he became interim head of the Department of Architecture at North Carolina State University. His best-known project is the J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh. The building represents a breakthrough in modern architecture through the use of unique technologies.
Maciej Nowicki tragically died on 31 August 1950 in a plane crash over the Libyan Desert while returning from India, where he was designing the city of Chandigarh, based on an earlier plan created by Le Corbusier. Despite his untimely death, his body of work remains a significant contribution to the history of world architecture.
Source: ncagr.gov, raleighhistoric.org
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