Ingalls Rink

Structural system

The rink employs an innovative structural system employing a 90-meter reinforced concrete arch, a catenary arch form for which Saarinen's projects became known. A cable net is strung from the arch, supporting a timber roof. This causes a stable, double curvature form. Exterior cables linking the arch directly to the outer edges of the roof were added during structural design development. These cables address forces caused by asymmetrical wind loads. Fred N. Severud was the structural engineer for the project.

Bombing

On May 1, 1970, several rock bands were playing a concert in Ingalls Rink as part of the protests on New Haven Green against the Black Panther trials. Shortly before midnight and towards the end of the concert, two bombs exploded in the north end of the rink's basement. The explosions caused no injuries, but shattered the building's glass doors and caused cracks to form in its arch. No culprit was ever identified, and both Yale President Kingman Brewster and New Haven Police Chief James Ahern contended that either pro- or anti-Panther partisans could have planted the devices.

Renovations

The building has been renovated by Kevin Roche and Roche-Dinkeloo, the firm which is a direct outgrowth of Eero Saarinen and Associates. In 1991, a new concrete refrigerant slab was added at a cost of $1.5 million.

In 2007, it was announced that the rink would undergo a $23.5 million renovation which would include approximately 13000 sqft of varsity operational space as well as a complete renovation of the facility, including new men's and women's varsity locker rooms, training and strength and conditioning rooms, an added press box, a lower level hockey heritage area, offices for coaches of both programs, a student-athlete study area, new lights, as well as a sound system and de-humidification unit. The lower level interior would also be decorated with photos displaying the history of Yale hockey. These renovations were completed in 2009.

In August 2025, the university announced $3 million worth of upgrades for the arena. The primary focus would be a new videoboard suspended over the ice.

References

References

1. "America's Favorite Architecture". [[American Institute of Architects]].
2. (2006). "Murder in the Model City: The Black Panthers, Yale, and the Redemption of a Killer". Basic Books.
3. Kalman, Laura. (2006). "Yale Law School and the Sixties: Revolt and Reverberations". University of North Carolina Press.
4. Donner, Frank. (1992). "Protectors of Privilege: Red Squads and Police Repression in Urban America". University of California Press.
5. Genocchio, Benjamin. (March 28, 2010). "Saarinen's Work, in 2 Parts, at Yale". [[The New York Times]].
6. Sharif, Amir. (October 30, 2009). "The Whale Resurfaces". Yale Daily News.
7. (August 9, 2025). "Yale's Ingalls Rink finalizes $3 million in renovations, 'reinforces our commitment to the student-athlete, alumni, campus and community experience'". USCHO.