sb 2/2024 (english)

STADIA AND SPORTS

WHO WE ARE

The IAKS is the leading global non-profit organisation for professionals from the sports, leisure and recreation facilities industry. Since 1965, IAKS has been enabling international networking for the exchange of expertise in the fields of architecture, construction and operations. IAKS is an IOC Recognized Organisation and cooperates with the IPC and many more international non-profit bodies.

Our network is the meeting place for architects, engineers, clients, designers, local authorities, technical and operative management, sports federations and clubs!

IAKS has partners and members in 153 countries. National sections serve local interests, organise regional and own events and provide information to the members of their countries.

You’re enthusiastic about high-quality, functional and sustainable sports facilities? You appreciate cross-sector exchange among experts? You’re looking for or can provide forward-looking information on the architecture, construction and operation of sports and leisure facilities?

If so, you’ll feel at home in the international IAKS network: for inspiration, solutions and a global forum.

© IAKS – Hieronymus Caspar

EDITORIAL

DEAR IAKS MEMBERS AND READERS OF SB,

Sport architecture operates at a range of scales, from the modest to the monumental. This is but one of the many ways it is distinctive from other building types. In this issue of “sb” you will find a number of projects whose realization illustrate this quality. I want to draw your attention briefly to three projects in particular that share a common thread in spite of their variations in scale. Each, in their own ways, serves a core athletic programme while at the same time fulfilling a formal goal to operate thoughtfully and creatively given the demands of their respective sites.

The Igls Sports Centre is a precisely detailed venue set within the countryside of Innsbruck, Austria. Sandy beach volleyball courts sit atop changing rooms set into the slope of the hillside – a decision that minimized the amount of physical disruption to the landscape required during construction. The roof terrace adjacent to the volleyball courts hosts a rock­climbing wall at one end and provides a viewing area of the football pitch (or ice hockey rink, depending on season) just below. Characterized by crisp detailing and restrained material choices, the entire project is woven carefully into the site and seems perfectly at ease in its place.

The Hybrid Stadium in Hangzhou built for the 2022 Asian Games is a 5,000-seat venue with the capacity for hosting sporting events and, in legacy mode, a concert hall and event space. The Hybrid Stadium responds to its larger context in a number of ways. The architects describe the form of the stadium as derived from the cong – a Neolithic jade found in this part of China that takes the form of a rectangular prism with a cylindrical tube running through its length. Set in a large and growing city, the stadium is the centrepiece of a larger eco­park designed according to the principles of the “sponge city” urban planning model that has developed in China (and elsewhere) over the last two decades.

The largest project of the three is the CITYPARK in St. Louis, USA. This 22,500seat stadium is home to the Major League Soccer team St. Louis City SC and is located in the Downtown West neighbourhood. Privately funded, the hope is that the project will spur additional urban and economic regeneration in the area. CITYPARK’s design emphasizes openness to the surrounding neighbourhood context with ample visual access into the ground from the adjacent streetscape. I had the opportunity to visit shortly after it opened, and for a building of its size, it nestles remarkably well into place. With sheltered pedestrian walkways and entry points at all four corners, the stadium essentially has no back side, another neighbourly gesture.

Despite the differences in geography, programme, scale, and budget, these three projects share a demonstrated commitment to design informed by and responsive to the context of each site. They are not alone in this regard, as you will discover in the pages of “sb” that follow. Delve into the Smart Sports Park in Ordos, China, and Arena MRV in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and read two new whitepapers about “Future trends for outdoor sports surfaces” and “Designing for women sports”.

I trust that you will find the work shared in this issue to be as interesting and thought­provoking as I have.

Prof. PhD Benjamin Flowers Member of the IAKS Executive Board

Prof. PhD Benjamin Flowers

STADIA AND SPORTS GROUNDS

PROJECTS

Dr Irina Akhmanova

NEW TO THE IAKS NETWORK

PERFECT GYM SOLUTIONS WESTMEADOWS (AUSTRALIA)

Perfect Gym Solutions is a scalable open software platform that empowers fitness and leisure businesses to thrive in a dynamic market by harnessing an ecosystem of customercentric experiences.

Trusted by over 1,500 facilities and 130 fitness chains in 55+ countries, Perfect Gym uses machine learning and an open API to streamline operations, retain members, and drive business growth with insights from third­party data sources.

Their comprehensive solution is designed to empower fitness and leisure businesses by facilitating their continuous expansion, streamlining day­to ­ day operations, and generating new revenue streams.

www.perfectgym.com

ACTIVEXCHANGE

SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)

ActiveXchange makes the data connections behind Australia and New Zealand’s active, healthy and thriving communities, helping their customers better understand and realise the potential of data.

Their services are trusted by thousands of users from hundreds of organisations, and include the integration and analysis of data on millions of users and members of sport, fitness and recreation bodies across Australasia, North America and Europe. Alongside other advanced contextual data, they transform this into dynamic benchmarks, competitor analysis, market insight solutions, and predictive modelling, in order to help clients to make smarter decisions faster to achieve participation, commercial and social impact returns.

SVENSKA SKIDFÖRBUNDET FALUN (SWEDEN)

Svenska Skidförbundet (The Swedish Ski Association) is an organization dedicated to the development and promotion of skiing and snowboarding sports in Sweden. With a rich history dating back over a century, the association provides a wide range of programs and support for athletes, coaches, and enthusiasts of all ages. From fostering young talent to organizing world-class events, the Swedish Ski Association plays a crucial role in shaping the future of skiing and snowboarding in Sweden. Through education, competitions, and grassroots initiatives, it continues to inspire and enable people to enjoy the thrill of snow sports throughout Sweden.

www.skidor.com

OTIUM RICHMOND (AUSTRALIA)

Otium Planning Group Pty Ltd is transforming the sport, recreation and leisure industries to meet future community needs through a diverse range of services and expertise in every facet of the industry. They effectively combine global reach and national expertise with local understanding to assist and contribute to the development of healthier communities, researching trends here and overseas to seek and provide data­ driven innovative solutions to clients’ needs.

As industry leaders in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific, Otium are perfectly positioned to deliver high-value, long­term results and are passionate about collaborating with their partners to achieve these outcomes.

www.activexchange.org

www.otiumplanning.com.au

ATKINSRÉALIS

TUNBRIDGE WELLS (UK )

AtkinsRéalis is a world leading construction consultancy, offering integrated services including project management, cost management, building surveying, programme management, asset management, project controls and health and safety consultancy.

AtkinsRéalis project teams work diligently from the inception of a scheme through to its completion providing effective management, accurate and timely information to inform better decision making. From small to large scale projects, AtkinsRéalis provide a vital interface between client, design and construction partners in delivering the most effective project and cost outcomes.

www.atkinsrealis.com

SUTER.VON KÄNEL.WILD ZURICH (SWITZERLAND)

As an independent, interdisciplinary team of spatial planners, engineers, architects, landscape architects and geographers, Suter.von Känel.Wild provides authorities and private individuals with solutions for all spatial planning issues. Its core competences include public building projects such as sports halls and sports facilities.

The office develops models, concepts, master plans, utilisation plans, concept sketches, feasibility studies, test planning, construction projects and expert reports.

www.skw.ch

Webnet for sports and fun

Rely on Webnet for sports and playground fencing. Our stainless steel net is virtually transparent and offers a durable, high-quality design. As a ball catch fence, Webnet is almost silent.

NEW TO THE IAKS NETWORK NEWS

MARK THOMAS

LONDON (UK )

Mark is an architectural consultant based in the UK with more than 30 years’ experience of developing and delivering sport, leisure, education, community and mixed-use projects. He has worked with a wide range of client organisations and project stakeholders to help identify project objectives, define project delivery strategy, develop the project brief and planning process.

Mark’s project delivery experience ranges from facilities for major events, to sports centres and facilities for schools and sports clubs to support grassroots level of sport. He has extensive technical knowledge and project delivery experience with both public and private sector teams, working alongside, sport public bodies, local authorities, and national governing bodies for sport.

INTEGRAL SPOR

ISTANBUL ( TURKEY )

"Integral Spor" is one of the brands of "Integral Group", which specializes in sports facilities and provides production, project design and construction services. As Integral Group, the group exports to 90 countries and is represented by many brands: Integralspor: construction of sports facilities e.g. stadiums, indoor sports halls, Olympic facilities, academies, athletics, tennis, padel, swimming pools, hippodrome, motorcycle racing facilities;

Avengrass: production and implementation of hybrid and artificial grass;

Stila: steel tribunes, steel roof, steel building carrier systems and seat (spectator, VIP, player), production in own factories; Anymats: operation of athletics, tennis and other sports fields at international standards with floor coverings and chemical paints; Echran: provider of pitchside billboards, giant screens / videoboards and stadium TV systems; Wepadel: production and field construction services for padel www.integralspor.com

CAMILLA H. LINDH SKELLEFTEA (SWEDEN)

Camilla has a Master's education in finances and extensive experience in various leadership roles within the finance and business development sectors. With a background as CFO, CEO, and business developer across diverse industries, including serving as the CEO of Nordic Sport, a global supplier of sports equipment, Camilla possesses a wealth of strategic and operational expertise.

Beyond business, Camilla H. Lindh is deeply committed to societal and environmental causes. Her involvement in different board roles reflects her dedication to contributing positively to communities. She sits on the board of IAKS Nordic. With a passion for innovation and sustainability, Camilla brings a unique perspective to any endeavor, striving to make meaningful impacts at both local and global levels.

VILLE DE CAROUGE (SWITZERLAND)

The Sports Department of the City of Carouge is dedicated to implementing the city's sports policy. Its main tasks include

• Strategic orientation of the municipal sports policy, determination of future sports infrastructure requirements

• Maintaining contacts to promote sport at regional level

• Administration of the sports programme in the municipality through events, introduction of new sports, support for clubs, quality control

• Organisation of sports and leisure events

• Promotion of sports in coordination with local, regional and national partners

• Planning, provision and management of sports facilities and swimming pools

• Information platform and advice for clubs

• Approval and administration of benefits in kind and finan

cial support www.carouge.ch

CLAUS WEBERSTORFER TIMELKAM (AUSTRIA)

Claus Weberstorfer is a keynote speaker and business coach from Austria. He pursued his professional career for over two decades as key account manager in international sales. In 2011, Claus Weberstorfer founded his engineering office specialising in lectures and business coaching, which focuses on the realisation of values and visions. In addition to his professional activities, sport and family are a central part of his life.

Claus Weberstorfer is an internationally trained coach and has his expertise through over 3,500 counselling sessions in more than 25 countries. He combines technical expertise with his passion for sport and personal development.

ARCHITECTURE HDT WELLINGTON (NEW ZEALAND)

Architecture HDT has a nationwide reputation in New Zealand for the design, documentation and delivery of aquatic and sports facilities. They are a well­resourced, innovative and design-oriented practice with offices in Wellington, Christchurch and Hawkes Bay.

They have an extensive portfolio in sports and aquatic facilities stretching back 40 years, showcasing their commitment to environmentally sustainable design and the creation of robust community facilities. These facilities are carefully crafted to meet community need, reflect the local community and culture and inspire use.

www.architecturehdt.co.nz

DISCOVER AUSTRALIA: THE “SPORTING NATION”

2024 IAKS STUDY TRIP TO MELBOURNE / SYDNEY / BRISBANE

CHOOSE YOUR EXPERIENCE OF AUSTRALIA: COME TO ONE, TWO OR ALL THREE OPTIONS

Author: IAKS

Photos: Destination NSW, Michelle Couling, Manny Moreno, Brimbank Council, Gollings Photography, AvellinoM, Simon Hurry, Eggzy Pallet, Clarinta-e, SOPA, Peter Clarke, SCG Sydney Cricket Ground, Gregg Porteous, Brett Boardmann, Populous, Ethan Rohloff, The GABBA, Sleeman Sports Complex, Lennart Nacke, Christopher Frederick Jones, Denise Jans, Romaine Terpreau

A rich and diverse learning experience: This study trip offers three options in the period of 25th June to 3rd July 2024, combining traditional and modern sports facilities, cultural landmarks, and community engagement – plus the flexibility of exploring Australian iconic landscapes and wildlife. Participants will have the opportunity to explore different aspects of sports and recreation in Australia's major cities.

Operators of municipal and private sports and leisure facilities, architects, planners, investors will enjoy this perfect combination of site visits and in ­ depth knowledge exchange with international experts from the sports and leisure facility industry. A variety of socializing events such as networking lunches, scenic walks and entertaining indoor golf will foster international networking among experts and decision ­ makers from the host country and abroad.

GENERAL BOOKING INFORMATION

The study trip packages include lectures, site tours, daytime transportation, the services of a tour guide, as well as lunch and networking dinners as outlined in the program.

Travel to and from Australia to be organised individually and on own account (not included in study trip package). IAKS have arranged a contingent with hotels in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Hotel accommodation has to be booked at the recommended hotels on own account.

We recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance as well as health and accident insurance.

www.iaks.sport/en/events/2024-iaks-study-trip

SYDNEY BRISBANE

MELBOURNE SYDNEY BRISBANE

25.06 - 28.06 29.06 - 01.07 02.07 - 03.07

(Option 1)

TUESDAY 25 June

Brimbank Aquatic & Wellness Centre

Melbourne Olympic Park with Melbourne Cricket Ground

Rod Laver Arena

John Cain Arena

AAMI Park

Architects Forum

WEDNESDAY 26 June

NSC industry tours (optional)

NRL game at MCG

THURSDAY 27 June

NSC I IAKS 2024 Exhibition and Conference (optional)

IAKS Network drinks and dinner

FRIDAY 28 June

NSC I IAKS 2024 Exhibition and Conference (optional)

Price of Melbourne package:

IAKS Members: 390 EUR

Non-Members: 490 EUR

Including site visits on 25 June, architects forum on 25 June, lunch on 25 June, dinners on 25+27 June and NRL game ticket

(Option 2)

SATURDAY 29 June

Botanic Garden walk

Opera bar

Manly Beach walk

SUNDAY 30 June

Coogee to Bondi walk

Heffron Sports Hub

Moore Park with Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium

Howe2Golf

MONDAY 1 July

Sydney Olympic Park with Aquatic Centre, Athletics Centre, Hockey Centre, Archery Centre, and Accor Stadium

Parramatta Aquatic Centre

Price of Sydney package:

IAKS Members: 500 EUR

Non-Members: 625 EUR

Including site visits on 29 June to 1 July, lunch on 29+30 June and 1 July, dinners on 29+30 June

(Option 3)

TUESDAY 2 July

The GABBA

Suncorp Stadium

Sleeman Aquatic Centre

WEDNESDAY 3 July

Brisbane Lions AFLW High Performance Centre

Lone Pine Koala Sancturary

Pimpana Sporting Hub

Gold Coast Aquatic Centre

Price of Brisbane package:

IAKS Members: 390 EUR

Non-Members: 490 EUR

Including site visits on 2+3 July, lunch on 2+3 July, dinner on 2 July

(subject to change at time of printing)

INSPIRE INNOVATION, DRIVE PARTICIPATION

NSC | IAKS 2024 IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA FROM 27-28 JUNE

Author: IAKS

Photos: AvellinoM

Over 1,550 industry professionals will converge at NSC | IAKS 2024 in Melbourne, Australia from 27-28 June. In the setting of 40+ sessions with 120 speakers and four Global Thought Leader Sessions, we at IAKS are proud to invite international experts from our network to sit on the panel and bring their expertise to the international delegates. Here’s an excerpt of the impressive line-up of panellists:

Dr Irina Akhmanova (Populous) from Singapore, Ian Ansell (Apollo Projects) from New Zealand, Yvette Aude t (Fluidra and IAKS Vice President) from Australia, David Burns (Collective Leisure) from Australia, Darryl Condon (HCMA Architecture + Design and IAKS Vice President) from Canada, André Flatner (City of Fredrikstad and IAKS Nordic President) from Norway, Prof. Dr Takanori Fukuoka (Tokyo University of Agri culture) from Japan, Harald Fux (RAUMKUNST and IAKS Austria President) from Austria, Mike Hall (FaulknerBrowns) from the United Kingdom, Gar Holohan (Holohan Group) from Ireland, RJ Houston (Royal Life Saving Society) from Australia, Adam Luscombe (YMCA Victoria) from Australia, Klaus Meinel (IAKS Secretary General) from Germany, Marc Riemann (Köln ­

Bäder) from Germany, Tina Saaby (The Danish Town Planning Institute) from Denmark, Philip Saikaly (Sport and Recreation Victoria) from Australia, and Steffen Strasser (Playparc) from Germany.

Meet these and many more international experts. Don’t miss APAC's largest industry convention and expo for community sports, recreation, play, and leisure facilities.

Register today – discount for IAKS members!

www.nationalsportsconvention.com.au

REGISTER NOW AT NATIONALSPORTSCONVENTION.COM.AU/REGISTER

APAC’S LARGEST COMMUNITY SPORT, RECREATION, PLAY AND LEISURE FACILITIES CONVENTION AND EXPO JOINS FORCES WITH THE WORLD’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS SPORT AND LEISURE FACILITIES ASSOCIATION

7 STREAMS

4 GLOBAL KEYNOTE SESSIONS

5 BIG ISSUE KEYNOTE SESSIONS

40+ WORKSHOPS

NEW ATHLETICS BALLPARK IN LAS VEGAS

Design and author: BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and HNTB Renderings: Negativ

Shaped by its location on the Las Vegas Strip, the new ballpark for the Athletics Major League Baseball team – designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and HNTB – will echo the vibrancy of the “Entertainment Capital of the World”, exuding an outdoor feel with panoramic views of the city’s skyline.

The 33,000-capacity covered ballpark will sit on nine acres on Las Vegas Boulevard between Tropicana Avenue and Reno Avenue. The new home for the Athletics has an expected opening date of spring 2028. The project builds on a longstanding collaboration between BIG and the Athletics, dating back to a different ballpark design presented in Oakland, California in 2018.

The new ballpark’s roof is accentuated by five overlapping shells resembling baseball pennants, paying homage to the sport. For players, these arched “pennants” will attenuate direct sunlight glare while welcoming indirect natural light through northern oriented clerestory windows. The domed ballpark is also designed to feature the world’s largest cable net glass wall. The structure’s exterior metal cladding shimmers in the natural daylight and reflects the surrounding Las Vegas lights at night.

An elevated outdoor plaza connects to the bridges over Las Vegas and Tropicana Boulevards, directing fans to the ballpark’s main concourse, where a large glass atrium pulls the city into the venue. This entrance sequence will immediately orient fans in the ballpark, allowing views of the entire field and seating bowl upon entry while optimizing wayfinding and circulation.

Secondary north and south entrances are marked by “bouncing” arches to increase visitor accessibility and promote a connection to the outdoors. Once inside, fans are met with bright, open atria, which will also serve as multipurpose exhibition spaces to showcase international and local artists.

The Athletics Ballpark is an immersive fan experience. Its tiered design and intimacy, inspired by historic ballparks like Fenway and Wrigley – with split upper and lower bowls – bring fans

closer to the action than traditional ballparks and provide clear sight lines from every seat. The ballpark is currently designed to feature an 1,600-m² jumbotron, which would make it the largest screen in Major League Baseball. An air-conditioning system distributes at the seats rather than from above, making cooling more efficient and energy conscious.

www.big.dk www.hntb.com

CONNECTING THE AUDIENCE TO THE CITY

LAGOS ARENA IN NIGERIA

Design and author: yazgan design architecture, www.yazgandesign.com

Renderings: ivabox, frontop, yazgan design architecture

Nigeria with its young and rapidly growing population of over 220 million people and a vibrant music scene has never had its own dedicated arena. Lagos Arena will be the first of its kind and will serve as a home for major entertainment and sporting events. Designed by Yazgan Design Architecture, Lagos Arena will be a multi-purpose hall located in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria, with a capacity of 10,000 spectators.

With aspirations to host more than 200 events each year, the arena is positioned to emerge as Africa’s leading destination for live entertainment. As such it will offer a dedicated space for entertainment and create exciting opportunities for both local and international artists. Furthermore, it will usher a significant time in the country’s music industry and overall entertainment landscape, catalysing Nigeria’s continued expansion of its thriving music, sports, and entertainment sector.

Although primarily designed as a concert hall, the arena will also host conferences and sports activities such as basketball, futsal, tennis, volleyball, handball, and boxing. The total construction area of the arena is 25,250 m². Situated right next to the Lagos Lagoon, Lagos Arena opens outwards towards it and the Gulf of Guinea with terraces on each floor, creating a cascading volume.

DUALITY

W hil e t he arena itself will be entirely enclosed for reasons such as live broadcasts and light control, the terraced concourses opening up to the lagoon shall establish a connection with the city, allowing the audience to breathe within the crowd and become part of the urban fabric. This duality is a characteristic and a potential of this multi­ purpose arena.

The terraces, serving as balconies, will provide shade for the floor below. The terrace above the ground floor forms the largest elliptical terrace, diminishing in size as it ascends towards the upper floors, culminating in a surface and roof bearing the name of the venue, emphasizing the volume of the structure.

FLEXIBLE LAYOUT SUITABLE FOR VARIOUS EVENTS

The cascading structure of the arena visible from the outside shall be mirrored in the main entrance foyer with a four­story high gallery void, offering potential for hosting multi-purpose events. The central circular layout of the main hall, which can be utilized 360 degrees, along with circular catwalks suspended under scissors, electrical and mechanical lines, will provide a flexible layout suitable for various events. This layout also offers excellent viewing angles for spectators.

Designed to accommodate events such as weddings, lounges, cocktails, and exhibitions in addition to being one of the few multi­purpose halls in Lagos, the complex will be built on piles and entirely from steel structure at the request of the client. Different user groups of the arena, such as general spectators, VIPs, artists, athletes, referees, press, management, and staff, get separate entries and internal circulation spaces to avoid interference. Inclusive design principles are being applied in the project.

AMSTERDAM AND HAARLEM GETTING THE BALL ROLLING

CO - CREATING THE FUTURE PROOF SYNTHETIC TURF PITCH

Author: Wieke Braat, City of Amsterdam

Photos: Wieke Braat, Lex Draijer

Turf pitches can make a major contribution to the objective of the cities of Amsterdam and Haarlem to be a climate-neutral city by 2050. That is why the municipalities are looking for companies that come up with innovative solutions to build the turf pitches of the future.

POTENTIAL TESTING GROUNDS

In most cities, the space for sustainable innovations is limited. Sports parks however offer space. More than 200 turf pitches will be replaced in Amsterdam and Haarlem throughout the upcoming ten years. These turf pitches are potential laboratories to test new solutions in the field of sustainable energy, water storage, circularity, or smart and clean construction. The tender documents will therefore provide space investigating smart solutions for problems that cities have to deal with now and in the future. That's why the project is called “Scale Up – Future Proof turf pitches”.

STIMULATING INNOVATIONS IN THE SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

When replacing turf pitches, the new materials should be circular and biobased to create a climate­proof turf. The goal is to develop sustainable turf pitches containing circular materials which contribute to an improved water balance and tackle heat stress. If possible, energy can even be generated at these locations. The municipalities therefore choose to stimulate the sustainable construction sector to roll out their innovations. Think above, below, or next to the turf!

PIONEERING THE TURF

Few clubs lead the way already. At HC Athena, an innovative hockey pitch with water buffering in the hollow foundation was chosen. A shock pad made of stone wool has been applied above this. Stored (rain)water is automatically absorbed through a capillary retention layer and released in doses via evaporation. In this way, the hockey field contributes to the collection of rainwater during heavy showers and to reducing the urban heat island effect. This field is cooler than a conventional turf pitch.

FUNDING

The “S cale Up” tender is a one-of-a-kind project with huge potential: It concerns an enormous area in Amsterdam and Haarlem, driven by innovation stemming from four different objectives, collaborating in a consortium, with the expectation of developing an entirely new way of designing a turf pitch.

The project is partly financed by the LIFE Program of the European Union. No rights can be derived from this article; the tender documents accompanying the publication of the tender are leading. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for this.

LEADING MANUFACTURER OF HIGH-QUALITY MACHINES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND RECYCLING OF

FUTURE TRENDS

FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS SURFACES

INNOVATIVE SPORTS SURFACE TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP PROVIDE ACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS

Author: Martin Sheppard and IAKS Expert Circle "Outdoor Sports Surfaces"

Photos: GrasSports, Andreas Keller, Achim Krug, Sandra Schuck, Smart Connection Consultancy

OUTDOOR SPORTS SURFACES REFLECT SPORTS EVOLUTION

As sport has evolved over the past six decades, so has the technology used for the sports’ sur faces, with the move from granitic gravel to rubber athletic tracks in the late 1960’s, the adoption of watered synthetic turf fields for hockey in the 1970’s and 80’s to the advent of 3G fields for the football codes from the turn of the millennium. Now we are ready for the next generation of technology with waterless hockey fields, innovations in football turf fields, polymers made from sugar cane as opposed to petrochemicals and infills that are organic and more durable and the circular economy being a driving force for the industry.

As the community’s changing consumption of sport, from traditional sports club provided games such as 11­a­side Football, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Hockey etc., we are witnessing a continued adaption of sport, with Hockey 5’s, 5-a-side Football, Rugby 7’s, 3 by 3 Basketball amongst others. All of these adapted sports have encouraged the evolution of the sports surface’s technology, the designs and multi-use of the fields of play, the management and maintenance of the surface.

Sport plays a far more important role in society than just for training, competition and skill development, it can impact on the physical and mental health of individuals, the economic sustainability of clubs and organisations and the social connectedness of communities. Understanding the trends and shifts in sport

consumption will impact on the planning, design, procurement and management of facilities and environments where people can be active.

The IAKS Expert Circle Outdoor Sports Surfaces has identified trends that reflect how the industry is embracing future needs, advancing technologies, and evolving community expectations, demonstrating industry leadership around climate change and environmental sustainability.

These future trends are seen as being part of the "Changing the Narrative" movement for the industry, with stronger benefits, challenges and solutions being seen through a more holistic lens, from a community, environmental and economic perspective.

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE – KEY TRENDS

As society's consumption of participation changes, so are their concerns and commitment to greater focus on climate change and environmental sustainability. Coupled with the sports surfaces having greater focus on multi­use and multi­sport, the importance of design and procurement has never been more important. Key trends include:

1. Changing society needs new thinking to encourage more people to be active

2. Climate change and environmental sustainability to protect our planet for future generations

4. Planning, design, procurement, construction and management practices are changing

3. Multi­sport and multi­ use to maximise usage of facilities

1. CHANGING SOCIETY NEEDS NEW THINKING TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO BE ACTIVE

THE ISSUE

The World Health Organization, amongst others, has identified that predominantly western civilisations are not being active enough to have a health gain. The significant growth in sedentary lifestyles is having an impact on the health of many nations, through increased levels of preventative disease, such as cardio ­vascular disease, some cancers and mental health levels.

Play, recreation and sport can encourage more people to be active and reduce the burden of disease, increase community connectedness and improve quality of life to individuals. If facilities and environments are designed and placed in the right environment, they can encourage more people to be more active more often.

Children and adolescents around the world are not moving enough to promote healthy growth and development, and the COVID ­19 pandemic only made matters worse, according to a global report by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) who compared 57 countries from six continents to assess global levels and trends in child and adolescent physical activity.

The report revealed that modern lifestyles – increases in digital screen time, the growing urbanisation of communities, and the

rise in automation of previously manual tasks – are contributing to a pervasive yet unequally distributed public health problem that must be recognized as a global priority. The World Health Organization’s targets to reduce physical inactivity by 15% by 2030 and all levels of government are looking for solutions to achieve this. Creative and energetic designs for environments can help encourage our young people to be more active, to play and to recreate.

Sport and activity are driven by interest, desire and a to be more active, as part of a more active community (e.g. walking and cycling) or through exercise (play, recreation and sport). To make the activity more attractive, the environment must be easy to access, part of daily life, and accessible (e.g. pocket parks, accessible paths and multi­ use activity areas).

Innovation of technology both on the surface and with mobile technology is an important factor. Mini­ pitch and mini­ playfield areas should be linked to the social media of today, so reservation, appointments etc. on these sports areas should be supported by modern electronics, booking or reservation abilities. Some suppliers of recreational equipment include users' smartphones into their product e.g. by game offerings.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Increasing opportunities for being physically active at school (active curriculum, extracurricular programs, active breaks) should be on the agenda, as well as encouraging governments to consider providing free access to public spaces, green space, playgrounds, sports facilities, and active transportation linking infrastructures, while addressing the issue of safety of the environment as a priority. Sports surfaces can positively impact on this, through multi­use and multi­sport designs to encourage exercise (e.g. jogging tracks), play (design for all ages), physical literacy (combining sports equipment and surfaces that challenge students), recreation (adaptive sports) and community sport.

Developing and designing spaces and facilities should aim at providing more equitable, accessible, inclusive, flexible, and attractive places. Programmes and opportunities should specifi cally target at girls, children and adolescents with a disability, from low­income families, and/or facing segregation or marginalization, as well as adolescents to reduce the age­related physical activity decline.

Innovative design of participation environments, which encourage people to exercise, play, recreate and participate in community sport is growing. There is a significant move away from just functional design of traditional sports fields and surfaces. The growth of multi­use activity areas, colourful playground surfaces and exercise spaces has grown globally exponentially over the past decade.

The adaption of community sport with 3 by 3 Basketball, Hockey 5’s, 5-a-side Football, Baseball 5’s, Rugby 7’s amongst others provides an ideal opportunity for sports participation to be used as part of urban regeneration to create pockets of energy around community precincts.

Innovative technology has been created to utilise core sports infrastructure such as football and rugby stadiums for hockey, with temporary elite fields being installed for major events.

2. CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY TO PROTECT OUR PLANET FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

THE ISSUE

As the community become more knowledgeable and protective of their environment, they place greater accountability on the owners, planners, designers, and managers of open space. Their expectations of good governance recognising the challenges of climate change, while expecting long term custodianship for future generations now need to be embraced by sport, governments and educational establishments. Community groups that are comfortable about speaking out may not always have the accurate information about the technology, but their perceived issues means that as an industry we need to be more articulate about the benefits and environmental good practice that is being embraced by the innovations and technology that we are seeing being developed.

Many times, the targeting of the sports surface technology may be seen as being unfair, as the sports surfaces take up less than 1% of the cities surface area, and seem to be an easier target than the urban sprawl of increased roads, houses and commercial spaces.

Under the circumstances of growing cities and more pressure on saving passive and active landscape spaces, synthetic sports surfaces gain more and more importance, by focusing the intensity of use in a focal area and reducing the need to convert passive space to active space to cope with the demands. These sports areas allow with minimum space consumption a maximum of availability and usage times (if planned and serviced correctly). They contribute directly to less land usage and environmental savings.

Circular economy encourages "end to end" thinking around reducing the carbon footprint of the facilities, including:

• Recycled material – used in the construction phases of the pavement, shockpad, infill and ancillary products (e.g. recycled concrete, fencing, seats, etc.)

• Reuse – development of more durable products that can withstand the intensity of usage, including two or three cycles of the shockpad/e-layer; reuse the pavement for 30 years, reuse of the infill (sand and organic) in the parks once the carpet is uplifted

• Recyclable – to ensure that any component of the surface system can be 100% recycled into formats that can be made into the original raw material or complementary products (e.g. recycled plastic park seats)

• Embracing environmental standards – to ensure safety and health of the fields including standards on microplastics, heavy metals, sports surfaces, shockpads, constructiontechniques etc.

Synthetic sports surfaces need to be "fit for purpose" and aligned with how they are going to be used, by whom, the frequency of use (hours and number of people) and the level of sport. This will impact on the scope, durability and quality needed for a specific surface. There is no such surface that fits every need. Engaging specialists and independent help will guide through the decision making process.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Embracing community concerns on climate change and environmental sustainability in the design of sports fields and multi­use activity areas will allow the industry to learn from the construction and landscaping industries. This could include:

• Water harvesting to irrigate surrounding trees and natural turf

• Tree canopy expansion around playing environments and organic infill to reduce heat impacts

• Use of "green concrete" for paths and infrastructure

Recycled material used for pavement base, shockpad and ancillary products, e.g. technologies which process existing insitu e-layers in place to re-granulate them after over 35 years and install them on site again will provide another 30 years of performance for the sports area.

There is a move to new systems being developed that are embracing environmental best practice, such as:

• Non-filled sports surfaces (some only using sand)

• Organic infill surfaces for sports fields

• Using bio ­based polymers as apposed to traditional petrochemical polymers

• Transitioning from water based hockey fields to "waterless" fields

THE ISSUE

With the expanding metropolis around many cities globally the availability of active land and open space is reducing significantly per head of population. The use of limited space for multi­purpose is needed, allowing many activities to be played on the same surface and flexibility for stadia to be used for many different sports and activities.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Technology development is allowing multi-use for different sports, including FIH’s GEN 2 Surface that meets the standards for Hockey, Hockey 5’s, Netball, Tennis, 5-a-side Football as well as adapted sports and fitness training.

The multi­ use philosophy should consider who the surface is being designed for, and if the majority of the field is for children’s use the design should be for them, with mini-fields, games areas and skills boxes. The default design shouldn’t always start with full size fields that have to be certified.

The OneTurf Concept where the major football codes can all play on the same turf including Soccer, Rugby League, Rugby Union etc., can be adapted for needs in each global region.

The seasonality of the facility should be considered to embrace additional usage. In winter in Europe a field can be “flooded” and turned into a skating rink, while in summer it can be used as the 3G football field. In the southern hemisphere, winter use can include various football codes, and summer use Cricket, Touch Football, Rugby 7’s, 5-a-side Football etc.

Multi­ use designs allow for adaptive sports and traditional sports to co ­ exist on one playing surface, thus encouraging a broader community to participate socially as well as competitively.

Technology allows participation at different levels from social, to recreational to developmental to be embraced on a single surface.

Portable technology may allow surface to be placed in a different sports stadium, such as hockey in a rugby stadium, or athletics in a football stadium.

4. PLANNING, DESIGN, PROCUREMENT, CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ARE CHANGING

THE SOLUTION

To reflect the changing trends the industry is evolving the way it plans, designs, procures, constructs, and manages the facilities for people to be active on the sports surface.

The IAKS Expert Circle Outdoor Sports Surfaces believes that if purchasers and managers of such facilities and environments embrace the trends and follow the four­stage approach below, the outcomes and impacts for the users, the environment and the broader community will be significantly increased.

Stage 1: Planning

• Ensure multi­sport and multi­use in the planning, to maximize usage and open the usage to greatest community participation, planning for usage during all of the daylight hours as well as peak time in the evenings.

• Planning should align the facility and environment in a manner that it encourages accessibility to all cohorts of the community, as well as greatest patronage, both with formal and informal usage.

• Embrace community concerns regarding environmental management, player safety, health of the community in the design process in a way that the planning for the field is scoped initially and reflected in community and stakeholder consultation.

• A whole of site plan should be considered when planning, to reflect environmental and landscape consideration (e.g. water harvesting, tree canopy), transport (e.g. vehicle and pedestrian), built infrastructure (e.g. paths, parking, lights, toilets and pavilions etc.) to ensure a better outcome for the community.

• Planning the scope of the project should consider the "whole of life" considerations for the surface (e.g. construction, maintenance and replacement lifecycle stages).

Stage 2: Design

• Embrace designs that allow for multi­sports to be played on the field of play as well as including adaptive sports (5-a-side Football, Hockey 5’s, Rugby 7’s etc.).

• Environmental design to minimize impact on local landscape should consider microplastic migration minimization, reduction in heat, water harvesting, extending tree canopy, retaining top soil on site, use of green concrete, use of recycled products to construct the field of play and ancillary equipment.

• Design should be for a minimum of 30 years to ensure sustainability of the field, drainage strategy and impact on local landscape.

• Design to minimize carbon footprint for the site, where possible and impact on maintenance longer term.

• The design should be focused on the intensity of use and the durability needs for the site.

Stage 3: Procurement and construction

• Procurement scope to include policy and strategies from tenders that demonstrate that they are committed to positively impacting environmental footprint, both with the performance surface (e.g. organic infill) and the constructed pavement with the use or recycled material for the pavement, drainage and ancillaries etc.

• With good leadership from all levels of government we are seeing the emphasis is shift away from the lowest cost winning tenders to a "whole of life" cost that also embraces the social value sport has on children and sedentary lifestyles, as well as the environmental value of protecting the planet for future generations.

• The procurement should focus on end of life expectations regarding reuse (e.g. shockpad), recycle (e.g. turf carpet) and repurpose (e.g. sand infill).

• Construction and sports surface standards should be fit for purpose.

• Recognize logistical challenges globally, and carbon footprint implications encouragement of sourcing locally within region encouraged.

• Engaging companies that have significant experience in the design and construction of the fields of play should be a priority which will provide a quality assurance against local challenges such as shortage of qualified staff.

Stage 4: Management and maintenance

• Planned maintenance should be the responsibility of the hirers and the owners for the facility, based around the hours of usage, to ensure that the field can achieve its life expectancy.

• Management of the field usage should ensure that it doesn’t always focus repetitive drills in one area, or training nearest the entrance gate.

• Embrace technology that can monitor the usage levels on the field while linking that to the maintenance program.

• Maintenance is different for each of the various systems (eg. Monofilament, tape or dual yarn systems) and also for the infill type (rubber, organic or performance free) - so engage specialists who appreciate the difference.

DESIGNING FOR WOMEN SPORTS: DON’T SEGMENT US, INCLUDE US!

“DESIGN FOR ALL” AS A KEY VECTOR OF SPORTS FACILITY DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTRALIA

The importance of inclusivity and accessibility for sports facilities is growing rapidly during the past few years. This growth is well-fed not only by impressive achievements of the Paralympic sports movement and significantly increased interest to the female sport, but also by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, in which inclusive design affects six categories, including Economic Impact, Future Proofing, Health and Wellness, Social Impact, Equality and Equity and Opportunity.

On the back of the two Australian sports venues Brisbane Lions Brighton Homes Arena and The Home of the Matildas, Populous Senior Associate Dr Irina Akhmanova de scribes the impact of the integration of fe male sports in day-to-day life of the elite and community sports societies, showing the commercial and social benefits from this integration.

Author: Dr Irina Akhmanova, Senior Associate, Populous Singapore Photos: Populous, Mark Avellino

Dr Irina Akhmanova

INCLUSIVE DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The transformation of the principles of universal design, which were more based on providing minimum standards for the minority of people, and through the time turned to a check­ list exercise, into the principles of inclusive design, became a part of the process of integration of all members of society into active social life and building resilient communities.

The principles of inclusive design as it relates to the built environment are¹:

• Inclusive – so everyone can use it safely, easily and with dignity

• Responsive – taking account of what people say they need and want

• Flexible – so different people can use it in different ways

• Convenient – so everyone can use it without too much effort or separation

• Accommodating for all people, regardless of their age, gender, mobility, ethnicity or circumstances

• Welcoming – with no disabling barriers that might exclude some people

• Realistic – offering more than one solution to help balance everyone's needs and recognising that one solution may not work for all

Applying these principles to the architectural design of the sports facilities allows to create a barrier­free space, open to all visitors and athletes regardless of their physical or functional capacity. This approach is beneficial from the social perspective on one side, and commercial potential of the sports complexes on the other side.

AUSTRALIAN FEMALES IN SPORTS

Like in most of the countries, Australian fe male population is outnumbering male population, with a general tendency for the female population to get older. The typical Australian female is 39 years old and has a life expectancy of 85.4 years.

Statistics of the participation in a sport­ related activity at least once a week show the following numbers ³’⁴ :

• Women (aged 15+): 32%

• Women with a disability (aged 18+): 18%

• First Nations’ women (aged 18+): 26%

• Girls (aged 0-14): 46%

The growth of the professional female sports is fully represented by the changes of the number of Australian Football League Women’s teams (AFLW) for the last eight years – from eight teams in 2017 to 18 teams in 2022, that is now equal to the number of the Men’s teams in AFL.

But saying this, in Australia women are still under­ represented in organised sport – as participants, coaches, officials, administrators, and board members – when compared to their male

cohort.²’⁴ One of the reasons is the lack of equal opportunities in terms of provided facilities, female community and kids engagement, safe and welcoming spaces for training and competitions.

During the wide public discussions and workshops among the female community, the major statement came out as “Don’t segment us! Include us!”, that indicates the demand for the equal opportunities for the elite and community sports engagement. Promoting active lifestyle from the childhood, including in a training process people of different age, abilities, and cultural background, offering the opportunities for training next to the national champions, using the world­ class equipment, fields of play and indoor sports halls, is leading to developing a healthy nation, sharing the values of diversity and inclusion.

Understanding these challenges lead to the growing request for multi­functional, inclusive, and mixed ­ use sports facilities, that could provide equal access to the elite training zones both for male and female athletes and encourage young and adult females to join different community sports activities, with safe and family­friendly environment.

¹ Howard Fletcher. The principles of inclusive design. (They include you). CABE (2006)

² AusPlay National Sport and Physical Activity Participation Report, Australian Sports Commission, (November 2022)

³ AusPlay Data Portal: Sport­ related participation – frequency of participation, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 1 May 2023)

⁴ Prof. Clare Hanlon, Susan Alberti. Women in Sport. Victoria University (June 2023)

FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT AFLW ARENA: BRISBANE LIONS BRIGHTON HOMES ARENA

The Brisbane Lions Brighton Homes Arena (BHA) is a unique example of a sports and entertainment venue seamlessly integrating elite sporting and community-focused elements to create a destination precinct in an emerging urban environment.

In recent years, the rapid rise of the AFLW competition has led to a need for a dedicated playing arena, as well as expansion of the current high performance training facilities to accommodate both male and female elite athletes and bring them up to date with competition standards.

The Brighton Homes Arena is a 9,000-seat boutique community arena utilised for AFLW Queensland along with hosting representative matches and as a dedicated place for junior development. It is the first AFLW arena designed to host professional matches at a new home, rather than retrofitting an existing AFL ground.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Brighton Homes Arena sets a new benchmark for delivering equal opportunity facilities in an elite sporting environment. From concept to built form, it distinguishes itself as the first AFL Women’s Premiership arena purposefully designed in Australia, a departure from retrofitting existing venues. Located within Queensland's second fastest growing region and the seventh­fastest in Australia, BHA will provide recreation, wellness, and meeting facilities for up to 580,000 people by 2031.

From its inception, BHA aimed to be more than just another elite sports facility. It sought to serve diverse needs including community recreation and health. The arena is the anchor for an engaging and active sports and entertainment precinct, one which connects the club to the surrounding residents, schools, and businesses. To create an engaging civic precinct and extend the Lions’ relationship with the broader community, over 50% of the facility is made accessible to the public all year round.

CO -LOCATION OF K EY AREAS LEADING TO COST EFFICIENCIES

The arena de sign places a central focus on gender equality, having been designed to provide equal high ­ performance facilities for the Brisbane Lions’ AFLW and AFL teams, as well as to create the first purpose-built AFLW Premiership match venue in Australia. The co ­ location of key areas for the AFL and AFLW drove cost efficiencies for the project through considered planning of shared spaces and allowed for more investment in public amenities across the campus. The arena also provides a training hub that allows the Lions to engage and support the 600+ families and young players who are members of the Brisbane Lions’ Academy (elite youth sport pathway) each year.

ELITE TRAINING CENTRE IN MELBOURNE: THE HOME OF THE MATILDAS

In 2023, Australia and New Zealand hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and preparation to this event had affected the whole female population of the country. Women’s football became the fastest growing sports in the country, and participation in the sport in 2022 was up by 21% on the previous year. These changes were also heated up by the growing popularity of the Women National Football Team – “Matildas”, who had a record for the highest attended standalone women's football match in the country's history in 2019, successfully participated in Olympic Games in Tokyo, and had a remarkable achievement during the FIFA World Cup in their homeland.

Significantly increased interest to the female football led to development of the project of The Home of the Matildas – a purpose ­ built, high ­ performance elite training facility in Victoria’s La Trobe University Sports Park, the largest football ­specific infrastructure project in Australia’s history. Sitting within the precinct is the new elite training centre for the Australian women’s football team which is also the permanent home for Football Victoria’s representative teams for women and men of all ages and their administration operations.

“FOOTBALL FOR ALL” VENUE

As Principal Design Consultant, Populous created a modern, centralised, gender neutral, football facility as a “Football for All” venue for players and officials of the World Game. The AUD 57 million facility is one of the first in Australia for a national football team to call home while connecting all levels of footballers from grass roots community players to state and national youth teams and supports player pathways to becoming a Matilda.

The facility was delivered with help from the Victorian and Federal Government and will assist in providing a homebase to foster youth talent, strengthen senior elite talent and become a home for Victoria’s best players, officials, coaches, and administration staff.

ATHLETE JOURNEY AS DESIGN PRINCIPLE

Design objectives for the facility focused on providing a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable environment for all footballers, coaches, referees, and volunteers, irrespective of age, gender, or ability. The athlete journey was also a major focus in the planning and design of the building to ensure the athlete moves through the spaces efficiently to maximise their training time and collaboration with the teams. Another value of having all levels of athletes able to train together is the visible elite player pathways and shared learnings through observation and collaboration; reinforced with equity through the provision of spaces designed for use by all.

Equivalent training facility provision provided for both men and women in football facilities are located within the buildings to optimise access and interactions when using the gym,

auditorium, team meeting rooms and the premier field. Both junior and senior players can follow in the footsteps of their football heroes with opportunities to train and play on the five natural, hybrid and synthetic pitches.

The medical and rehabilitation facilities are located centrally to optimise their use by the playing group with increased levels of privacy to cater to players of all ages. The Football Victoria administration space is open plan to unify the admin body with its wider training, players, and community operation groups.

Through these closer synergies, the new facility nurtures the positive culture of the organisation, promoting a comfortable, non-hierarchical work environment for staff. The Home of the Matildas provides year­ round access to elite training and match facilities which delivers the best opportunities to enjoy programs, competitions and training which can upskill women both on the pitch and in sports admin and leadership.

OVERALL GOAL: EVERLASTING LEGACY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS’ FOOTBALL

As part of Football Australia’s bold and ambitious Legacy ‘23 plan, Victoria is leading the way in ensuring that there will be an everlasting legacy for women and girls’ football long after 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament has been successfully held in the region. The precinct will provide a world­ class training facility and a home that celebrates and recognises the pinnacle of women's football in Australia and provides a global benchmark that will enable the world game for women. The Home of the Matildas delivers on the vision for the code by fostering a deep comradery to unite a football organisation with a culturally positive environment.

Projects presented above are creating a strong vector for future integration of the Australian and global female sports in day­to ­ day life of the elite and community sports societies, showing the commercial and social benefits from this integration. Inclusion starts on the lowest levels, and in the youngest age, and design of the public and sports facilities should foster this process, providing equal opportunities and support for all the members of the society, regardless their age, gender, race, physical or mental abilities.

YEAR - ROUND FACILITIES IN HILLSIDE LOCATION

IGLS SPORTS CENTRE FOR FOOTBALL, ICE HOCKEY, BEACH VOLLEYBALL AND BOULDERING

Author: ao ­architekten

Photos: Moritz Orgler www.moritzorgler.at, Sonja Papst, Stadt Innsbruck

In this challenging landscape planning project, the team from ao-architekten has used the slope to good effect. The service building occupies the step in the terrain between the football pitch and the beach volleyball court, making it fully accessible with little earth-moving work. From the beach volleyball court level, there is an attractive view of the playing area used for ice hockey or football, depending on the season.

In the first stage of the overall Zimmerwiese sports area project, a beach volleyball court coupled with a football pitch (summer) and ice rink (winter) with a utility building have been realised.

OFFICIAL OPENING 2023

Location

Innsbruck­ Igls, Austria

Client / Operator

IIG – Innsbrucker Immobilien Gesellschaft

Architects

ao ­architekten, www.ao ­architekten.com

Landscape architects

Gruber + Haumer Landschaftsarchitektur www.landschaftsarchitektur­ gh.at

A special environmental feature of this multi­functional sports ground that makes perfect sense for summer use is its widely and foresightedly integrated energy supply strategy. The waste heat from the refrigeration system controlled by the app­controlled AST EasyCHILL energy management system is used for heating the service water via a heat exchanger. The AST ice mats, which permit optimised ice rink operation under the artificial turf surface, are used for cooling the artificial turf surface during the summer months. Here again, the waste heat generated by the refrigeration system is utilised to heat the service water via heat exchangers.

In terms of both elevation and orientation, the sports areas are set into the slope to minimise the impact on the terrain and provide barrier­free access to all areas from the existing terraced car park of the old Patscherkofel cable car. The adjacent damp meadow to the south is thematically continued by the planting scheme selected for the embankments, underscoring the landscape design approach of the overall project.

BUILDING LAYOUT

DICTATED BY TOPOGRAPHY

The hillside location was utilised to integrate the functional building in such a way that it occupies the step in levels between the two playing surfaces. The lower level provides access to the building accommodating the changing rooms and sanitary facilities, skate hire, ticketing, plant room and garage for maintenance vehicles. Extending out beyond the beach volleyball court, the upper

level creates a play and viewing terrace with a boulder wall, which is also used to position the cooling units. The roof of the service building is designed as an accessible terrace area and can be used for yoga classes and events such as parties or film screenings. A bouldering cave and an outdoor shower are also located here.

A centrally located external staircase connects the two levels and naturally accentuates the transition from the terrain alongside the car park to the building.

INTENTIONAL ROBUSTNESS AND SOLIDITY

In keeping with the building task, the components of the service building exhibit an intentional robustness and solidity in materiality and design. The red­coloured concrete of the visible wall and ceil­

ing components and of the staircase is set off by a facade design that is brought to life by sliding elements clad with black wooden slats. The steel railings on the upper level are minimalist in character and thus tie in thematically with the exposed concrete design. The chosen colour scheme and materials are also continued inside the building, creating a uniform overall atmospheric effect.

POROSITY

ST. LOUIS CITYPARK IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

Author: HOK + Snow Kreilich Architects

Photos: Michael Robinson

CITYPARK’s 22,500-seat soccer-specific venue showcases St. Louis’s love for the sport through an intimate, innovative, and sustainable design. CITYPARK represents a new model for Major League Soccer (MLS) stadiums, moving away from the standard enclosed singular space to a pub lic amenity that invites all. HOK and Snow Kreilich Architects sought to make CITYPARK a dynamic stadium district and civic destination that would bring fresh energy and pride to the city.

OFFICIAL OPENING NOVEMBER 2022

Location

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Client / Operator

St. Louis CITY SC

Design architects

HOK, www.hok.com

Snow Kreilich Architects, www.snowkreilich.com

Architectural support

KAI Enterprises, www.kai­ db.com WA, Inc., www.wa­architectsinc.com

Landscape architects

HOK, www.hok.com

DG2 Design, www.dg2design.com

Kimley­ Horn, www.kimley­horn.com

Structural engineers

HOK, www.hok.com

David Mason & Associates, www.davidmason.com

MEP engineers

ME Engineers, www.me ­ engineers.com

Custom Engineering, www.customengr.com

Construction costs

USD 458 million (EUR 423.2 million)

The league's first club to be majority-owned by women began with a vision that extended beyond sports. Five strategic pillars guided the project design:

Connection: To be artfully integrated and connected to the neighborhood’s fabric;

Mobility: To move people efficiently with creative use of infrastructure and technology;

Sport: To create a loud, proud, distinct home-field advantage;

Training: To bring team headquarters, practice fields and a development academy to St. Louis;

Experience: To bring 24/7/365 vitality to the neighborhood through architecture and public spaces that inspire.

LARGEST URBAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS CAMPUS IN THE U.S.

CITY SC is also one of the few U.S.­based professional sports teams – and the only MLS club – to have its stadium, team headquarters, training and performance center, and practice fields consolidated in one central downtown location. The campus also includes a fan pavilion that functions as a dedicated team store and is open daily.

DESIGN EVOLUTION

The design of CITYPARK evolved over three years, retaining the initially projected capacity while shifting closer to St. Louis’ historic Union Station and north of Market Street to better integrate with

the dense downtown fabric. It ultimately was built as an urban infill on a formerly vacant plot that was once a freeway off-ramp and parking lot.

Surrounded by the city, the open­air stadium sits across the street from Union Station and at the end of the Gateway Mall, a strip of green and public spaces linking the venue to the iconic Gateway Arch and Mississippi River. CITYPARK acknowledges its placement along the Gateway Mall with an east-west sightline through the stadium, complemented by landscaping and grand stairs.

Unlike most MLS venues, the stadium has two concourse levels to integrate a 6-m grade change across the site. The design takes advantage of this topography to set the pitch below the adjoining streets.

SEATING BOWL: CLOSER TO THE ACTION

The stadium offers an int imate fan experience at every price point, including general seating, the fanatical supporters’ club, and diverse premium options. No seat is more than 36 m from the pitch, which sits 12 m below street level. This reinforces the pedestrian ­friendly building scale while bringing all fans closer to the action.

The design immerses fans with an overhanging upper bowl, bringing them closer to the field. The seating rake heightens the intensity of the atmosphere. In the supporter section, the team designed an even steeper rake that focuses energy onto the field and creates an intimidating wall of fans behind the goal.

The southern part of the stadium extending from the Gateway Mall is slightly detached from the northern structure, enhancing views from premium seats. The upper concourse perimeter also has a drink rail facing toward the city, providing an excellent vantage point for game ­ day festivities and peoplewatching.

STRUCTURE FEATURES GLASS, METAL PANELS AND STONE WALLS

The “porous” design minimizes its height to relate to surrounding buildings, while creating views into the pitch from nearby streets and out to the city from inside. Open concourses facilitate movement and social interaction, with ground-floor retail and gathering spaces further integrating the venue into the neighborhood. Fans can enter CITYPARK from all four sides, as there is no “back door.”

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN FEATURES

CITYPARK’s exterior design includes a flat portico, open corners and slender columns framing the upper seating bowl.

An elegant 36-m canopy mirrors the Gateway Arch’s reflective quality, sheltering fans from the weather while allowing plenty of daylight onto the pitch. The team designed the canopy to amplify fan noise and create a sense of enclosure that focuses attention on the field while preserving an open aesthetic.

NUMEROUS FLEXIBLE PUBLIC SPACES

CITYPARK’s open corners amplify the stadium’s porosity, welcoming people from across the city. These spaces promote fan interaction during games and transform into community plazas for outside events. This multi­functional design aligns with the vision of creating a vibrant mixed­use stadium district.

CONCESSIONS AND TECHNOLOGY

The early involvement of culinary partners in the design process resulted in optimized layouts and workflows. East-side food and beverage stands are two ­sided, serving customers inside the stadium and on the plaza. This two-sided format further integrates the venue with the neighborhood.

CITYPARK introduces innovative technologies to enhance the fan experience and alleviate congestion during matches. Fans

enter concessions areas through subway­style turnstiles, using credit cards or apps for quick access. The stadium features three checkout­free, grab ­and­ go markets, and twelve self­ checkout units equipped with cameras and sensors, enabling customers to pick items and bypass traditional checkout lines. The CITY app also allows mobile ordering, reducing wait times at concession stands.

A fiber network connects the stadium to the team headquarters, training facility, team store and practice fields, highlighting the campus connectivity.

SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY

CITYPARK began its inaugural 2023 season as a zero-waste venue. The design incorporates eco-friendly features like 100% recycled structural steel, LED lighting, low-flow water fixtures and a high-efficiency building control system. Aligning with sustainability goals, the design allows for future disassembly and reuse of structural elements.

Strategically located within two blocks of a Metrolink station and several bus lines, CITYPARK encourages public transit. Native landscaping echoes the pre­urban ecosystem. The site’s rainwater management system directs rainwater from canopies to an underground cistern.

CATALYST FOR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT

Beyond the pitch, the owners wanted this mixed­use district to catalyze downtown activity 365 days a year. Outside of MLS matches, the CITYPARK is available for civic and private events. The training center sees daily use from both professional and youth academy players, and the team store pavilion is open daily with a café and retail space.

Since MLS announced its expansion into St. Louis in 2019, Downtown West has seen a surge in investment, with nearly USD 820 million infused into the area and 300 new occupancy permits granted, signifying the stadium’s broader economic, cultural, and developmental impact.

1. Football stadium

2. Gameday pitch

3. Club suites / amenities

4. NW entry gates

5. Club level concourse

6. NE gates / entry plaza

7. Main entry plaza

8. Main concourse / seating

9. Premium entry

SEAMLESS FUSION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Through a co ordinated system that features steel in a variety of ways, the structural engineering complements the architecture, creating open, interconnected spaces and fluid exterior forms.

The team chose structural steel to meet the architectural goal of creating an open, transparent structure with streamlined gravity and lateral systems. This also facilitated expedited fabrication and erection. Integrating lightweight spanning trusses and girders balanced the aesthetic aspirations with the stadium’s structural requirements.

The design reflects the stadium’s urban surroundings and prioritizes openness by inviting in the neighborhood. Engineers and architects collaborated to minimize lateral framing, enhancing transparency, and opening the stadium’s corners to the cityscape. The steel canopy projects outward, creating a visual connection between the stadium and the neighborhood.

The design makes the seismic bracing “disappear” within the structure, avoiding perimeter­braced frames that would block views and connections to the community. A combination of column frames, seating bowl rigidity and discreet basement braces achieved this.

INNOVATIVE LOADING DOCK DESIGN

A tunnel on the south side allows services to enter the stadium below grade, eliminating the typical “back­of­house” services area at street level. A full­height concrete truss supports the tunnel lid for service entry below grade, and a parallel steel truss structure supports the stadium and plaza above. Built-up plate girders, approximately 22 m long and 1.2 m deep, transfer column loads and support sections of the elevated structure. This combination of concrete, steel and plate girder systems enabled an obstruction­free loading dock area.

SPATIAL EXPERIENCE WITH RIVER, STEPPE AND DESERT

SMART SPORTS PARK IN ORDOS

Author: PLAT ASIA

Photos: Holi Landscape Photography

PLAT ASIA was commissioned to redevelop an urban square, SHIJIE, in Ordos, China, into an all-people-friendly smart sports park to meet the need for a healthy lifestyle. The site layout reflects the multi-faceted Ordos landscape with desert, steppe and river. The lighting, shading and navigation systems are controlled with smart technology.

OFFICIAL OPENING 2023

Location

Ordos, China

Client / Operator

KANGBASHI district Forestry

Greenery Service Center of Ordos

Architects

PLAT ASIA, www.platasia.com

Construction costs

RMB 50 million (EUR 6.4 million)

The original site is attractively located and well­served by city transport services. With its 19.7 hectares, the open-sided urban square featured few amenities. So the lack of a rational configuration, serviceable pedestrian path and sufficient service space resulted in an unattractive, inefficiently used urban green field in need of prompt redevelopment.

REPLICATING THE ORDOS LANDSCAPE

The Ordos a rea extends over 87 thousand square kilometres and includes desert, steppe and rivers. Translating this unique landscape into a spatial experience in the park was the initial concept derived from ideas by the designer Baoyang Bian. The Kubuqi Desert, influenced by the northwest wind in Ordos’

desert climate, forms a block of dunes on a gentle slope in the northwest that inspired the micro ­terrain with the same alignment in the park. The local desert steppe records thousands of years of geological history. The design shows the grassland of steppe elements as the park's background. The Yellow River flows west to east in DALATE County, Ordos. These curves of meandering rivers are replicated in the dynamic jogging loops.

ALL- AGE - FRIENDLY COMPREHENSIVE SPORTS PARK

The park’s layout and circulation path is derived from the local geography. The circular pedestrian path symbolises the river in the landscape. The blue path represents the sky over Ordos and its reflection in the river. The redeveloped park retains the themed sculptural line of the park's central axis and reiterates the main path. Five arrays with different functions have been created to suit different age groups and exercising habits.

The comprehensive ball court areas, positioned in an exposed area in the northwest, include football pitches for 5 & 7-a-side and courts for basketball, tennis, badminton, table tennis and volleyball and meet the varied needs for training and competition. They are complemented by the children’s playground in the heart of the park, the biking area for teenagers and the comprehensive exercise area for senior citizens.

The original gate ball courts have been turned into a new gateball stadium for more professional games. Some of the highly alkaline soil is hostile to vegetation, with different areas being used in different ways depending on the season, e.g. a sand pit in summer doubles as a skating track in winter. Physical activity is supplemented by a new pool and a motion­sensitive fountain that bring water into the park.

WONDERLAND FOR CHILDREN: MULTI-FUNCTIONAL CORE AREA

Integrating the playground and the park's management service centre with a roof­top lookout, the new facility in the park's centre overlooks the panorama of the park. The outdoor area has play equipment for children, while the interior houses an office, sports and other shops, café and toilets. The semi­open passage and the vertical shade structure strengthen the sense of transparency and seek to bring people together.

PLANTS AND SHADING SYSTEM

The parkland mainly features Ordos’ typical woodland pasture, allowing some human ­scale leisure activities on the grass. Untidy bushes obstructing the view of the open surroundings have been removed. This transparent landscape establishes links between park users and nature. Besides the natural shade provided by trees, pavilions with membrane structures are positioned in various places to provide comfortable rest areas along the paths. Referencing the dunes of the Ordos area, the pavilions with their curved ridge lines provide protection from the sun.

SMART AND HEALTHY PLACE FOR PEOPLE

The park operates with an intelligent management platform that interacts with users. It includes a smart lighting system, navigation system, smart jogging loop and shading system controlled with smart equipment. These smart systems form the basis for personalised and sustainable services for future planning. A healthy environment has been created with circulating water and greened areas.

1. Football pitch

2. Basketball courts

3. Tennis courts

4. Badminton courts

5. Table tennis court

6. Smart jogging loop

7. Bike field

8. Sculpture "Eye of Ordos"

9. Seasonal skating tracks and sand pits

10. Water pool

11. Park's management service centre zone

12. Central runway

13. Comprehensive excercise area

14. Gateball courts

15. Gateball indoor stadium

16. 5-player soccer courts

17. Volleyball courts

THREE QUESTIONS TO THE ARCHITECT

BAOYANG BIAN

What has been your design approach in Ordos to connect physical activity and play with nature and landscape?

We value translation as a critical design strategy. It is in Ordos’ DNA to include the shape of the landscape and views in a project. Similarly, we translate the DNA of Ordos’s landscape into accessible and common activities for people, like sports or leisure; these activities form a new landscape in the urban context, and peoples’ participation and experience eventually become part of nature and vistas.

Does the new park design attract new user groups? Who are they?

The park has undergone a remarkable transformation. Previously, it offered a few leisure spaces, with overgrown shrubs as a deterrent. Despite its proximity to housing and public facilities, the lack of professional playgrounds kept people away. However, the park's rejuvenation brought along several fitness facilities and public spaces for leisure, catering to the growing need for health and wellness.

The park has become a hub for various groups, thanks to its unique expression of local culture, its translation of Ordos' landscape, and its provision of attractive activity spaces. The awareness by the public and the presence in social media has elevated the park's status as a new landmark and attracted a diverse range of tourists, many of whom were unexpected visitors. The park now serves as a destination for those who enjoy exercising, appreciate local culture, and seek new experiences.

What kind of activity space or outdoor sports facilities will we need in the future?

Nowadays, our lives are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature. Our sports park aims to bridge this gap. It's not just a park but a place where you can experience the comfort and beauty of nature and heal your relationship with the natural world. It's a place where nature and comfort coexist, and in some corners of the park you can find solace from the hustle and bustle of city life. The outdoor sports facilities in the park serve for physical exercise and as a gateway to nature, allowing people to relax and rejuvenate. We aim to provide a space that caters to all physical and emotional needs.

In this unique project, we envision a smart park that goes beyond the traditional concept. Our aim is not just to incorporate brilliant facilities and platforms but to create a genuinely comfortable and engaging space for people of all ages. For instance, young people can use their smart devices, such as smartwatches, to interact with our smart jogging loop and other convenient equipment in the park, enhancing their exercise experience. This innovative approach to park design ensures that everyone, from children to seniors, has access to a space that promotes health and well­being.

SHIMMERING FISH

HYBRID STADIUM IN HANGZHOU

Author: Archi­Tectonics NYC, LLC

Photos: SFAP Shanghai

The 5,000-seat centerpiece for the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 Park is located at the south end of the park entrance and accessed via two curved bridges. The 35,000 m² structure is designed to function as attractor and generator of new socio-cultural activities – merging sports events with a concert hall / event space for Hangzhou after the games. What was at first a provocative proposal to the client by Archi-Tectonics – to create a hybrid and to optimize the building for adaptability – ultimately became the driving logic of the design. From the intersecting volumes emerge the building’s uniquely sculptural appearance and spatial expression.

OFFICIAL OPENING 2023

Location

Hangzhou, China

Capacity 5,000 seats

Client / Operator

China Power Construction Group

East China Survey and Design Research Institute Co., Ltd.

Architects

Archi­Tectonics NYC, LLC, www.archi­tectonics.com

The Hybrid Stadium embodies the heritage of the region, adapting the intersecting geometry of the Cong – an ancient Jade-stone artifact in the shape of a square tube with a circular bore – a hybrid building, rather than a singular stadium, that maximizes legacy adaptability. The parametric design study into the creation of a hybrid taxonomy, two intersecting ellipses with overlapping spaces that allow for fluid connections within the interiors and connect to the exterior. The result is a highly adaptable set of volumes that can seamlessly convert to event space after the games.

HYBRID GEOMETRY: WOBBLY DISCS

The Hybrid Stadium’s geometry was refined through multiple iterations and produced the distinctive asymmetric shape. The seating for the oblong bowl merges arena and amphitheatre seating schemes. This makes it possible to adapt the central viewing layout preferred for sporting events into an asymmetric, stage­centred configuration for performances. The double-curved inner bowl is entirely clad in bamboo with recessed lighting and a skylight above, blending technologically generated forms with vernacular materials that offer a warm and inviting environment.

Most stadiums are on­liners; circular buildings that enclose rectangular playing fields. The inner and outer rings are discrete. The architecture team found that there is no ideal adaptability in that model and designed a hybrid instead.

As they slip past each other, the disc volumes create spatial anomalies that become signature moments. The more oblong section of the bowl hosts VIP seating lounges. The ramps and stairs that usher visitors to the seats create layers of horizontal and vertical interconnection, transitioning from the lively city to the calm, inward­looking space of the arena. Ramps fold up and around the bowl to get to the future theatre lounge with an outdoor roof deck overlooking the re­invigorated wetlands and eco ­park landscape.

Secondary programme areas like a sports health centre, restaurants, and VIP lounges are incorporated throughout the building, creating a layered and dynamic environment that – more than just a container for viewing sports or performances – serves as a fully­equipped events and entertainment destination.

SUSPENDOME ROOF: COLUMN-FREE HYBRID INTERIOR SPACES, NATURAL LIGHT, AND VENTILATION

A long ­span Suspendome or Superdome roof makes it pos sible for the lobby spaces to be entirely column ­free, reinforcing the adaptability and hybrid nature of the building. The roof sits on the inner bowl and cantilevers out over the lobby to support the outer shell, a spectacular steel and glass diagrid skin.

The roof was computationally optimized to be constructed and installed on site in just 15 segments. The roof also facilitates for the entire space to be naturally lit and ventilated. A large oculus brings natural light into the bowl, using a large sculptural deflector to soften the sunlight and diffuse it evenly throughout the space. A continuous band of operable windows below the stadium roof facilitates natural ventilation of the entrance lobby and main circulation space surrounding the inner bowl.

These windows also allow natural daylighting to enter below the cantilevered Suspendome, enhancing the sensation of a floating roof.

Daylight also enters through the double curved diagrid glass facade, with its deep structural sections providing natural shading during the summer and generous glazing providing natural heating during the winter. These greatly reduce heating and cooling loads during much of the year. The building achieved „Green Building Evaluation Label 3 Star“, the highest level of sustainability in China and equivalent to LEED Platinum.

An integrated under­seat cooling system for the inner bowl cools the viewers, while minimizing air movement – a requirement for competitive table tennis venues – and significantly reducing the cooling and heating demand. Only the immediate area around the spectator seating is conditioned, rather than the entire air volume.

GLASS DIAGRID AND BRASS PANELS

The intersecting ellipses express themselves as textured facade surfaces – one clad in brass shingles carefully calibrated to cover the doubly curved volume and the other a steel diagrid clad in planar glass. A system of small aluminium triangles negotiates the planar glass back to the double curved diagrid. The „eyelids“ also give the facade its shimmering fish scale-like appearance and lend it a sense of movement and texture. The glass sections bend and slice through the brass shingles, creating transparent areas where daylight can enter the interiors. The glass encloses a sweeping lobby with ramps and bridges that wrap around the inner bowl.

The brass shingles give a sense of depth to the facade as they negotiate the doubly curved surfaces with irregular facets. Using BIM, the brass system optimized its 5,000 units in just 85 variations. The final stadium design – which saved 1,130 tons of steel and 1.5 million dollars in facade costs – is optimized for material efficiency and ease of construction. The whole masterplan, the 116 acre park and its seven buildings, were built in just three years.

STEP BY STEP FOR SOCIETY

MRV ARENA IN BELO HORIZONTE

Author: Farkasvölgyi Arquitetos Associados

Photos: Pedro Souza / Clube Atlético Mineiro collection

Graphics: Farkasvölgyi Arquitetos Associados

The Brazilian soccer club Clube Atlético Mineiro wanted more than just a soccer stadium: the vision was for a new facility that would reflect the team's strength and make the fans proud of their new home. They also wanted the building to be versatile and multifunctional. The MRV Arena – not only the most modern stadium in Brazil, but also the one with the lowest construction cost per seat – has been developed by the architectural firm Farkasvölgyi Arquitetos Associados.

OFFICIAL OPENING 2023

Location

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Capacity 45,000 seats

Owner / operator

Atlético Mineiro

Architects

Farkasvölgyi Arquitetos Associados www.fkvg.com.br

Construction costs

BRL 500 million (EUR 92.1 million)

Planning for the arena got underway in 2013, the project's premise being to work exclusively with the club's resources without going over budget. After lengthy analysis, the financial plan for the building was approved. The budget for the project for the construction of a multi-purpose arena with a capacity of 45,000 spectators was capped at BRL 500 million. Project approval was directly conditional on not exceeding the budgeted figure.

Clube Atlético Mineiro's first stadium sees itself as one of the country's most technologically advanced stadiums, with the latest standards and accessibility for people with disabilities or reduced mobility. Another important aspect is preservation of the Atlantic rainforest, with springs on the arena site, i.e. the project site is a permeable green area of around 47,000 m².

Thanks to numerous sustainable solutions, the arena project was designed to qualify for the Procel Buildings energy efficiency label in the Triple A category.

RAPID TRANSFORMATION ENABLED BY INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT ROUTES

MRV Arena was designed from the outset for intelligent and efficient operation, while also providing an important source of income for the club: a football stadium, but also a building that can host all kinds of events, from congresses and trade fairs to large concerts. And all this without disrupting match fixtures.

It is therefore essential that MRV Arena offers more possibilities and functionalities than other venues, with architectural solutions promoting rapid transformation, practicability and versatility. One of the ideas realised was the creation of a road enclosing the entire pitch access area. This transport route within the arena enables large vehicles to deliver goods quickly directly to the infield, e.g. for large concerts – a logistical solution not available in most Brazilian stadiums and arenas.

MRV ARENA IDENTITY HARMONISED WITH CLUB’S COLOURS

Architect Bernardo Farkasvölgyi drew on two sources for the arena's colour scheme: the colours and stripes of the team's jersey (grey and white) and the black and white of the banners that Atlético fans used to lower into the stands of the "Mineirão" stadium in the 1970s and -80s. The fans accepted the proposal immediately, which was vital for the project’s continuity.

The "cauldron" effect was another requirement of the club's management and also requested by fans. This effect was achieved by dispensing with sound openings and utilising an acoustic system that ensures reverberation.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR SOCIETY

As a beneficial feature for society, agreement was reached on investment of more than BRL 100 million in the region's urban and road infrastructure, the reconstruction of the basic health centre (UBS) in the Califórnia district, the creation of the Galo Institute, which is intended to generate activities and projects in the fields of public and social aid, culture, education and leisure, and a language, innovation and creativity centre for public school pupils. In addition, a 33,000 m² promenade is to be created for the public.

SYNTHETIC GRASS FIBRES WITH RECYCLED CORE

FIELDTURF CORE PRIME FIBRE CONTAINS 40% RECYCLED POLYETHYLENE

Author: Cornelia Röger-Göpfert

Photos & graphic: FieldTurf

Synthetic turf pitches – like many other plastic products – have become an integral part of everyday sporting activity. Reliable and safe training and competition programmes for numerous team sports at both grassroots and elite levels are only possible almost all year round with synthetic turf. In football alone, Germany has around 2.31 million players¹.

Synthetic turf pitches offer a number of advantages over natural grass pitches and go a long way towards ensuring that as many children and adults as possible can play their sport together on a regular basis. Comparatively low maintenance requirements and, above all, high frequency of use are characteristics that make synthetic turf pitches the only alternative, especially in densely populated areas.

At the same time, it is essential to minimise the impact on the environment during the production, use and subsequent disposal

¹ 2022/2023 season, Source: www.dfb.de

of synthetic turf pitches. Manufacturers of plastic products are encouraged to follow the EU Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy from 2018 in the further development of their products. In March 2020, the European Commission published its Circular Economy Action Plan, thus reaffirming the primary objectives of its plastics strategy. In its action plan, the Commission announced further environmental regulations for plastic products and specified the requirements the products have to fulfil.

Ulster Rugby Club Stadium, Ireland, with FieldTurf Vertex CORE PRIME

USE OF RECYCLED MATERIAL AS A KEY TASK

Newly produced plastic can be partially replaced by recycled material. At the same time, the action plan stresses that maximising product longevity is just as desirable, also with the aim of saving on finite resources such as fossil resources and energy. It is a question of reconciling two demands: using the maximum possible share of recycled materials in the manufacture of the new product, while not having to compromise on its expected service life compared to virgin plastic products made exclusively from mineral oil.

Morton Extrusionstechnik GmbH in Abtsteinach in southern Hesse has taken up this challenge. This is where it produces the grass fibres for the synthetic sports turf of its partner FieldTurf Tarkett. Since 2021, Morton has been exclusively using electricity from renewable sources in production. Morton has developed a synthetic turf fibre for FieldTurf Tarkett that meets the various requirements in equal measure: CORE PRIME.

CORE MADE OF RECYCLED POLYETHYLENE

SHEATH MADE OF NEW SKIN-FRIENDLY POLYETHYLENE

IN - HOUSE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION

For the production of its CORE PRIME fibre, Morton relies on its technology developed in­house. On its customised production lines, it is able to produce a fibre with a core-sheath structure, where recycled material from polyethylene waste is found exclusively in the fibre's interior. The recycled core is encased in new, high­ quality polyethylene on the outside. One advantage of the core-sheath structure of the CORE PRIME fibre is that minor variations in appearance, commonly encountered on recycled plastics, are not visible.

When using recycled material in the grass fibres of synthetic sports turf, thorough cleaning and meticulous sorting of the waste sources used are essential. For this is the only way to ensure the unchanging properties and consistently high quality of the fibre and to meet the requirements of the applicable codes and standards for sports pitches.

In total, the CORE PRIME fibre contains 40% recycled polyethylene. The fibre's abrasion resistance and UV stability are primarily attributable to the virgin material in the core ­sheath structure, so the expected service life of CORE PRIME does not differ from that of other high-quality fibres made exclusively of new plastic.

REFERENCE PROJECTS ACROSS EUROPE

FieldTurf Tarkett has already installed synthetic turf pitches with CORE PRIME fibre in several countries in Europe, including Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Ireland, Switzerland and the Netherlands. CORE PRIME offers all users the best training conditions. Numerous amateurs (such as the footballers of FV Neuburg in Rhineland­Palatinate), students (such as at the prestigious University of St Andrews in Scotland) and professionals (such as the players of Chelsea FC) are already training on CORE PRIME. More info

Kai Weber-Gemmel

Telephone: +49-(0)6782-1094273

Mobile: +49-(0)151-19334624

E-Mail: kai.weber-gemmel@tarkett.com

Schematic representation of the CORE PRIME fibre from FieldTurf Tarkett

Training ground at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, with FieldTurf Vertex CORE PRIME

GYMNASTICS IS BACK IN ALBSTADT

NUSSLI PLANNED AND BUILT INTERIM SPORTS HALL AS TOTAL CONTRACTOR

Author: NUSSLI Group, www.nussli.com

Photos: NUSSLI Group

The temporary sports hall, which NUSSLI built to replace the demolished Schlossberghalle, was handed over to the city of Albstadt, Germany in November. In just six months, a high-quality gymnasium has been built; and school and club sports can take place again.

TEMPORARY TWO - PITCH HALL WITH COMPLETE FACILITIES

With the high-quality temporary solution, NUSSLI offers the city a solution that was originally planned as a temporary solution but can also be used for much longer and finally makes club and school sports possible again. The 45 by 22 m, three-divisible two-pitch hall has a gabled roof with a ridge height of 9.5 m.

The hall consists of a steel structure and was built in just four months of planning and about half a year of construction. On both long sides of the hall, single­story ancillary rooms are attached in container construction. Prefabricated and equipped in the factory, the total of 38 containers only had to be connected on site and connected to the supply lines. On the west side of the new sports hall are the equipment and storage rooms. On the east side are the changing rooms, toilets, and showers.

QUICKLY IMPLEMENTED SOLUTION WITH A LONG SERVICE LIFE

The city of Albstadt in Baden­Württemberg has found a solution with the temporary hall that allows them to breathe a sigh of relief for the time being. The sport facility is secured and the planning for a final sports hall can be taken time. According to Udo Baader, Head of Project Management Special Projects at NUSSLI: "The construction time of the hall has been shortened enormously because it consists of a so­called lightweight steel structure. Nevertheless, the temporary hall is designed for a longer service life and can remain in place for a good ten years or more. In terms of equipment, the practice hall also offers everything that school sports and sports clubs need for their activities."

For example, the hall is equipped with all the functional rooms and spacious changing rooms required for sport, and the pitch can be divided into three equal sections by curtains. Various devices, such as the fold­out wall bars, can be attached to the sports floor, and ball throwing practice facilities are attached to the walls.

ANTICIPATION OF SPORTS ACTIVITIES

With the words "the sports hall should also look good", Mayor Udo Hollauer recently announced a cooperation with the art museum in a newspaper interview. With creative graffiti by the artist Hanna Keul, the facade on the east side becomes a colourful eye­ catcher with a sporty girl and plants as a motif.

School classes and sports clubs can look forward to the new gym. This is because it is larger than the old Schlossberghalle and beautifully bright: with a light green floor, large skylights and white roof surfaces from the inside. For people with reduced mobility, there is a fully equipped sanitary room with shower, toilet, and sink. And even the containers that have been set up are no longer individually recognizable after the NUSSLI project team has set them up wall to wall.

SUSTAINABILITY FOR STADIUM SEATING

STADICHAIR AND STADISEAT SET NEW STANDARDS BY UPCYCLING AND RECYCLING

Author: STADISEAT, www.stadiseat.de

Photos: STADISEAT, MBRC

It all began in 2018 when founder Jonas Braamt built a chair from an old stadium seat purchased at the Arminia Bielefeld flea market. Today, the company produces sustainable stadium chairs regionally in East Westphalia, developing a suitable substructure for almost every stadium seat.

STADICHAIR gives discarded stadium seats a second life and emphasizes the importance of emotions by allowing fans to preserve a piece of their soccer history. The materials are sourced regionally to guarantee short delivery routes and German quality, prioritizing sustainability and regionality. STADICHAIR is dedicated to upcycle discarded, emotionally charged stadium furniture, and give it a second life. In addition to the stadium chairs, bar tables made from old floodlights have now also been added to the portfolio.

Since 2021, STADISEAT has been supplementing this cycle by recycling damaged stadium seats into granulate, which is then used to produce new, sustainable stadium seats. STADISEAT equipped the first stadiums with sustainable stadium seating in 2023 using a polyamide recyclate specially developed to meet

the requirements of stadium seats. The aim is to have successfully completed the Blue Angel and Cradle to Cradle certifications by the end of 2024 at the latest.

Both companies are working together to create a closed circuit that includes both upcycling and recycling while supporting sustainability and climate goals. This approach not only protects the environment, but also provides an emotional connection for fans by preserving historical moments in the form of furniture.

STADISEAT also cooperates with the MBRC foundation and uses polypropylene recyclate from beach clean ups, for example in Indonesia, to produce stadium seats. This initiative helps to promote additional beach clean ups and other educational projects in the countries concerned.

ATHLETICS EQUIPMENT CERTIFIED BY WA

Established in 1974, Lausin y Vicente offers an extensive range of quality athletics equipment.

Since 2012, the company has been certifying their athletics implements by World Athletics (formerly known as IAAF), to ensure that their products meet the technical requirements for use in all international athletics competitions, as well as meet the following objectives:

• Provide better quality products

• Guarantee the validity and accuracy of performances

• Support any initiative to improve athletics goods

• Encourage and support innovation

• Help and protect athletes

At present, Lausin y Vicente has a total of 18 products certified by the international governing body for track and field:

• Competition hurdles in steel and aluminium

• Water jump hurdle and movable obstacles

• High jump and pole vault landing mats

• High jump and pole vault standards

• Pole vault box with lid

• Hammed throwing cage and circles

• Take-off board for long and triple jump

• Aluminium track kerbing (see picture)

Lausin y Vicente is committed to continuing manufacturing and sourcing safe, durable, and long­term performance equipment worldwide. As well as schools and universities, the company’s customer base includes sports centres and track & field facilities.

IDEAL OPTION FOR SPORTS CLUBS

Exercise and sport are an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. For sports clubs, the provision of publicly accessible and low-threshold exercise offers is an opportunity to activate and win over people of all ages and fitness levels.

What exactly is meant by low-threshold exercise offerings?

Low-threshold exercise offerings are sporting activities or training programmes that have low barriers to entry and are easily accessible. They are aimed at people of different ages, fitness levels and experience backgrounds. The main goal is to promote exercise without placing high demands on prior knowledge or physical fitness.

The nature of slacklining, which requires balance, concentration and coordination, creates a low­threshold and inclusive environment. Slacklining can therefore help to get people moving and together and to create a diverse community that benefits from shared experiences and mutual exchange.

Lausín y Vicente S.L. www.lausinyvicente.com

BLOACS www.bloacs.de

Photo: Lausín y Vicente

Photo: BLOACS

EIGHT-COURT SPORTS HALL IN MONHEIM

In spring 2023, total contractor NUSSLI started work on building Europe's first eight-court sports hall in Monheim am Rhein. After less than a year of construction, those involved in the pioneering project celebrated the topping-out ceremony on 26 February 2024.

The ultra­modern eight­court sports hall is part of a comprehensive plan to redesign the Berliner Ring school centre. The construction method, which combines NUSSLI's expertise in temporary construction with prefabricated modular elements, allows the large-scale project to grow rapidly in height.

Erected!

The rising walls and columns were completed in reinforced concrete before the end of 2023. Construction of the outbuilding was completed before Christmas, and work began on the basic structure for the sports hall roof in January 2024. And at the end of February, the last of the roof structure's trusses, which are up to 30 m long, were installed. This completed the construction of the almost 19­m­high structure. Now the interior work and the facade work will follow.

Short construction time

The rapid implementation of the construction project was an important aspect from the outset. After all, while the pupils are learning on the campus, construction is taking place next door. The construction phase had to be kept as short as possible to minimize disruption to ongoing school operations and traffic.

Well on schedule

In a challengingly short time of 18 months in total, the record­breaking hall is to be built from the ground­breaking ceremony to commissioning. With the topping­out ceremony, NUSSLI has achieved another target date within this ambitious schedule.

NUSSLI Group www.nussli.com

A MODERNISED SPORTS PARADISE

The new drainage technology at the Moormannskamp stadium is based on sustainable solutions that not only meet the requirements of modern sports facilities, but also take ecological aspects into account. Rainwater is effectively absorbed, cleaned and drained away.

Efficient hollow profile channels designed in accordance with the World Athletics (WA) regulations and DIN 18035 Part 3 were used to drain the running tracks and neighbouring areas. This ensures rapid drainage of rainwater and reduces the risk of flooding during heavy rainfall.

The areas around the jump pits are lined with elastic kerbs. Thanks to their elastic properties, they help to minimise the risk of injury. ACO SPORT® sand traps were also installed to catch any sand spillages, which are unavoidable during jumping competitions, and keep them away from the neighbouring surface.

A particularly outstanding feature of the renovation is the use of products for cleaning microplastics. The use of the ACO SPORT® filtration shaft ensures that microplastics released by abrasion from plastic surfaces, for example, are effectively retained.

The renovation of the Moormannskamp stadium in Ritterhude is therefore not only a structural modernisation, but also a pioneering step towards environmental protection and sustainability. It sets an example for other sports facilities.

Photo: ACO

Photo: NÜSSLI / Tim Kögler

SAFETY AND AESTHETICS FOR SPORT & PLAY

The X-TEND cable mesh from Carl Stahl ARC offers a wide range of sporting possibilities, as well as safety applications in architecture and construction. The newly defined European Technical Assessment (ETA) ETA-22/0257 for the X-TEND cable mesh as a fall protection and safety net creates a solid basis for its application, with regular external monitoring of production processes for quality assurance. The ETA for X­TEND not only enables practical applications based on the European Construction Products Regulation but also ensures static calculability and installation according to guidelines.

As a tested quality product, X­TEND is suitable for various sensitive areas of application, including sports facilities, schools, daycare centres, residential and office buildings, as well as facade greening or horizontal fall protection nets, even in critical infrastructure. It serves not only as a safety net but also as a design element, made of durable and robust high­ grade stainless steel. Its flexibility allows for use in both two and three dimensions.

X-TEND rope net is available in various mesh sizes and rope diameters and, thanks to its low weight but high load­bearing capability, enables delicate installations with large spans. It ensures optimum visibility for spectators and athletes and keeps balls silently in the net without permanent deformation or damage. X­TEND provides safety for games and sports, even where space is limited in cities, such as with retrofitted courts for utilizing existing flat roofs.

The X­TEND cable mesh is manufactured in our own factories in Europe, as well as in the USA to comply with project-specific "Buy American" guidelines. Carl

BARRIER- FREE CALISTHENICS PARKS

Since 2013, Calisthenics parks from PLAYPARC, which are developed by athletes, have been the first choice for all people who want to improve their fitness, promote their health and enjoy outdoor exercise. Thanks to their multifunctional design, they offer a wide range of training options that help to improve the quality of life and well ­ being of people all over the world. Thanks to their well thought­ out design and the use of high ­ quality materials, PLAYPARC's calisthenics parks are durable, stable, safe and easily accessible. Whether standalone or in combination with other outdoor fitness equipment, they offer numerous options for a varied and effective workout.

The barrier-free "alltogether" calisthenics parks offer inclusive fitness and training areas that include people with different physical abilities and disabilities. Lower bars and parallel bars for people in wheelchairs, grab handles, adapted training benches, step-on/step-off aids and many other details facilitate and enable participation and individual training for all people with disabilities.

Barrier­free public sports and training facilities help to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities to lead an active and healthy life. They provide an inspiring environment to train together, learn from each other, motivate and support each other. This not only contributes to physical health, but also promotes social interaction.

PLAYPARC GmbH www.playparc.de

Photo: PLAYPARC

Photo: Frank Bunz

COMPANY INDEX FROM A TO Z

IAKS member companies go one step ahead with „Professionals & Profiles“. And position themselves prominently – in print and online. Report on your innovations and references in sb magazine and the IAKS newsletter and on our website. It goes without saying that your architect or supplier logo appears in every issue – and is sure to catch the eye of your business partners.

ACO Inotec GmbH 24782 Büdelsdorf, Germany christin.pohl@aco.com www.aco ­sport.de

» Drainage systems

» Sports ground construction

» Sports ground equipment

ANRIN GmbH 59609 Anröchte, Germany info@anrin.com www.anrin.com

» Drainage systems

» Sports ground construction

» Sports ground equipment

Deutschland GmbH 40221 Düsseldorf, Germany info@D ­aspg.de www.D ­aspg.de » Elastic layers; protecting surfaces

AGROB BUCHTAL Deutsche Steinzeug Keramik GmbH 92521 Schwarzenfeld, Germany agrob-buchtal@deutsche-steinzeug.de www.agrob ­buchtal.de

» Aquatic construction » Pool construction; ceramics

Sekisui Alveo AG 6043 Adligenswil, Switzerland info@alveosport.com www.alveosport.com

» Artifical turf

» Elastic layers; protecting surfaces

» Indoor sports floorings

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

Arbeitskreis Trennvorhänge e.V. 42327 Wuppertal, Germany info@arbeitskreis­trennvorhaenge.de www.arbeitskreis­trennvorhaenge.de

» Indoor equipment » Sports hall dividers

ASB GlassFloor Systembau Horst Babinsky GmbH 83371 Stein, Germany info@asbglassfloor.com www.asbglassfloor.com

» Indoor sports floorings

Mobile floorings, cover systems

Multi-sport courts

» Aquatic equipment

Avant Sports Industrial Co.,Ltd 518108 Shenzhen, China

» Artificial turf

Bänfer GmbH Sportmanufaktur 34537 Bad Wildungen, Germany info@baenfer.de www.baenfer.de

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces » Indoor equipment

» Mobile floorings; cover systems

» Temporary and modular constructions

BLOACS 50935 Cologne, Germany info@bloacs.de www.bloacs.de

» Multi-sport courts

Outdoor equipment

Sports ground equipment

Playground equipment

Carl Stahl ARC GmbH 73079 Süßen, Germany xtend@carlstahl­arc.com www.carlstahl­architektur.com

» Facades and building envelopes

» Perimeter boards, nettings » Playground equipment

» Security systems, fencing

Sports ground equipment

eccos pro gmbh 42553 Velbert, Germany info@eccos­pro.com www.eccos­pro.com

» Aquatic equipment

» Changing rooms and equipment

» Fitness equipment

» Ice sports equipment

» Ticketing, access systems

Gotthilf Benz Turngerätefabrik GmbH+Co KG 71364 Winnenden, Germany info@benz-sport.de www.benz-sport.de

» Aquatic equipment

» Fitness equipment

» Indoor equipment

» Outdoor equipment

» Sports ground equipment

BERNDORF

Metall- und Bäderbau GmbH 2560 Berndorf, Austria office@berndorf­baederbau.com www.berndorf­baederbau.com

» Aquatic construction

» Aquatic equipment

» Pool construction, stainless steel

Brinkmann + Deppen Architekten / Landschaftsarchitekten 48336 Sassenberg, Germany info@brinkmann­ deppen.de www.brinkmann­ deppen.de

» Architecture and design » Landscape design

Conica AG 8207 Schaffhausen, Switzerland info@conica.com www.conica.com

» Indoor sports floorings

Outdoor sports floorings

Sports ground construction

ENGO GmbH Srl 39040 Vahrn (BZ), Italy info@engo ­ice.com www.engo ­ice.com

» Ice hockey boards

» Ice rink construction

» Ice resurfacers

» Ice sports equipment

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

DSGN CONCEPTS UG 48145 Münster, Germany info@dsgn­ concepts.de www.dsgn­ concepts.de

» Landscape design

Eurotramp-Trampoline Kurt Hack GmbH 73235 Weilheim / Teck, Germany eurotramp@eurotramp.com www.eurotramp.com

» Aquatic equipment

» Indoor equipment

» Playground equipment

» Sports ground equipment

GANTNER Electronic GmbH Deutschland 44894 Bochum, Germany info ­ de@gantner.com www.gantner.com

» Aquatic equipment

» Changing rooms and equipment » Fitness equipment

» Indoor equipment » Ticketing, access systems

geo3 GmbH 47551 Bedburg-Hau, Germany kontakt@geo3.de www.geo3.de

» Architecture and design » Landscape design » Feasibility studies

GEZOLAN AG 6252 Dagmersellen, Switzerland customer-service@gezolan.com www.gezolan.com

» Artificial turf » Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

Multi-sport courts » Outdoor sports floorings

Sports ground construction

Hamberger Flooring GmbH & Co. KG 83071 Stephanskirchen, Germany info@haro ­sports.com www.haro ­sports.com

» Indoor sports floorings » Protecting surfaces

Mobile floorings

Cover systems

50859 Köln,

info@gfkk.de www.gfkk.de » Ice rink construction

Gerflor Mipolam GmbH 53824 Troisdorf, Germany gerflormipolam@gerflor.com www.gerflor.de

» Indoor sports floorings » Mobile floorings, cover systems

Gütegemeinschaft Sportgeräte 53113 Bonn, Germany info@sichere ­sporthalle.de www.sichere ­sporthalle.de » Indoor equipment

Sports ground equipment

Testing, quality assurance

Hauraton GmbH & Co. KG 76437 Rastatt, Germany info@hauraton.com www.hauraton.com

» Drainage systems

Sports ground construction

heiler GmbH & Co. KG 33649 Bielefeld, Germany info@heiler­sport.de www.heiler­sport.de » Artificial turf

Cleaning and maintenance

Natural turf

Sports ground construction

Wiesbaden,

Intercom Dr. Leitner 39040 Freienfeld, Italien intercom@leitner.it www.realice.info

» Ice hockey boards

» Ice rink construction

» Ice resurfacers

INTERGREEN AG 60433 Frankfurt, Germany info@intergreen.de www.intergreen.de

» Artificial turf

» Cleaning and maintenance

» Hybrid turf

» Natural turf

» Sports ground construction

ISS GmbH 63263 Neu-Isenburg, Germany info@iss4u.de www.iss4u.de

» Aquatic equipment

» Ice hockey boards

» Ice rink construction

» Ice resurfacers

» Ice sports equipment

JUNCKERS INDUSTRIER A/S 4600 Køge, Denmark info-exp@junckers.com www.junckers.com

» Indoor sports floorings

» Multi-sport courts

» Sports hall construction

» Stadium and arena construction

» Temporary and modular constructions

IST – Institut für Sportbodentechnik 04416 Markkleeberg, Germany mario-kunze@gmx.net www.sportboden-leipzig.de

» Testing, quality assurance

KDF - Kataskeves Dapedon Ltd. 57010 Thessaloniki, Greece exports@kdf.gr www.kdf.gr

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Indoor sports floorings

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor sports floorings

Show your innovations and references!

ISP GmbH 48167 Münster, Germany info@isp ­ germany.com www.isp ­ germany.com

» Testing, quality assurance

Jakob Rope Systems 3555 Trubschachen, Switzerland info@jakob.com www.jakob.com

» Facades and building envelopes

» Security systems, fencing

» Perimeter boards and nettings

» Play- and sports ground equipment

Kernig Consulting GmbH 48155 Münster, Deutschland info@andreaskernig.de www.kernig­ consulting.de

» Consulting » Fitness centres

» Pools and aquatic facilities

» Architecture & design

KRAIBURG Relastec GmbH & Co. KG 29410 Salzwedel, Germany sportec@kraiburg­relastec.com www.kraiburg­relastec.com/sportec

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces » Indoor sports floorings

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Playground equipment

Hermann Kutter LandschaftsbauSportplatzbau GmbH & Co. KG

87700 Memmingen, Germany info@kutter­ galabau.de www.kutter­ galabau.de

» Artificial turf

» Cleaning and maintenance

» Hybrid turf

» Natural turf

» Sports ground construction

Herbert Labarre GmbH & Co. KG 22337 Hamburg, Germany info@labarre ­ galabau.de www.labarre ­ galabau.de

» Artificial turf

» Cleaning and maintenance

» Hybrid turf

» Natural turf

» Sports ground construction

Labor Lehmacher | Schneider GmbH & Co. KG 49076 Osnabrück, Germany info@labor­lehmacher.de www.l­l­s.de

» Testing, quality assurance

LIKE-ICE Science GmbH 84069 Schierling, Germany info@like ­ice.com www.like ­ice.com

» Ice hockey boards

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

» Outdoor sports floorings

Landskate GmbH 50823 Köln, Germany info@lndskt.de www.lndskt.de

» Landscape design

LAUSIN Y VICENTE S.L. 50420 Cadrete, Spain export@lausinyvicente.com www.lausinyvicente.com

» Indoor equipment

» Playground equipment

» Sports ground equipment

» Sports hall dividers

» Stadium and arena equipment

M3 Architectes 2737 Luxembourg, Luxembourg mail@m3archi.lu www.m3archi.lu

» Architecture and design

maier landschaftsarchitektur / Betonlandschaften 51107 Köln, Germany info@maierlandschaftsarchitektur.de www.maierlandschaftsarchitektur.de

» Landscape design

McArena GmbH

71522 Backnang, Germany info@mcarena.de www.mcarena.de

» Multi-sport courts

» Sports hall construction

» Turnkey construction

Melos GmbH

49324 Melle, Germany info@melos­ gmbh.com www.melos­ gmbh.com

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

NUSSLI Group 8536 Hüttwilen, Switzerland information@nussli.com www.nussli.com

» Sports hall construction

» Stadium and arena construction

» Stands, seating

» Temporary and modular constructions

» Turnkey construction

Pellikaan Bauunternehmen Deutschland GmbH 40880 Ratingen, Germany info@pellikaan.de www.pellikaan.de

» Aquatic construction

» Aquatic equipment

» Sports hall construction

» Turnkey construction

Play-Parc

Allwetter-Freizeitanlagenbau GmbH 33014 Bad Driburg, Germany info@playparc.de www.playparc.de

» Fitness equipment

» Indoor equipment

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor equipment

» Sports ground equipment

Schmitz Foam Products BV 6040 KG Roermond, Netherlands sales@schmitzfoam.com www.schmitzfoam.com

» Artifical turf

» Elastic layers; protecting surfaces

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

Polytan GmbH 86666 Burgheim, Germany info@polytan.com www.polytan.de

» Artificial turf

» Cleaning and maintenance

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

MYRTHA POOLS

A&T Europe SPA

46043 Castiglione d/Stiviere (MN), Italy info@myrthapools.com www.myrthapools.com

» Aquatic construction

» Pool construction, other systems

» Pool construction, stainless steel

PERROT-Regnerbau Calw GmbH 75382 Althengstett, Germany perrot@perrot.de www.perrot.de

» Irrigation systems

PS+ Planung von Sportstätten 49078 Osnabrück, Germany info@ps­planung.de www.ps­planung.de

» Architecture and design

» Landscape design

Porplastic Sportbau von Cramm GmbH 72108 Rottenburg a.N., Germany info@porplastic.de www.porplastic.de

» Artificial turf

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Indoor sports floorings

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

Sika Nederland B.V. (Pulastic sports flooring) 7400 AK Deventer, Netherlands export@nl.sika.com www.pulastic.com

» Ceilings, windows, walls

» Indoor sports floorings

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor sports floorings

REGUPOL Germany GmbH & Co. KG 57319 Bad Berleburg, Germany info@regupol.de www.regupol.com

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Indoor sports floorings

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Playground equipment

Signgrass® NIK-Tufting BV 5571 TJ Bergeijk, Netherlands info@signgrass.com www.signgrass.com

» Artifical turf

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

» Sports ground equipment

SMG Sportplatzmaschinenbau GmbH 89269 Vöhringen, Germany info@smg­machines.com www.smg­machines.com

» Cleaning and maintenance

» Sports ground construction

» Sports ground equipment

STARGUM Stankiewicz Sp.j. 73-110 Stargard, Poland sales@stargum.pl www.stargum.pl

» Artificial turf

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Indoor sports floorings

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor sports floorings

RICHTER Sportstättenkonzepte GmbH 07629 Hermsdorf, Germany info@sportstaettenkonzepte.de www.sportstaettenkonzepte.de

» Architecture and design » Landscape design

Siteco Beleuchtungstechnik GmbH 83301 Traunreut, Germany info@siteco.de www.siteco.de

» Lighting systems

Robbins Sports Surfaces OH 45226 Cincinnati, USA info@robbinsfloor.com www.robbinsfloor.com

» Indoor sports floorings

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

» Multi-sport courts

SMC2 S.A.S. 69440 Mornant, France contact@smc2-construction.com www.smc2-construction.com

» Ceilings, windows, walls

» Facades and building envelopes

» Fixed and retractable roofing systems

» Temporary and modular constructions

» Turnkey construction

Holz-Speckmann GmbH & Co. KG 33790 Halle/ Westfalen, Germany info@speed­lock.com www.speed­lock.com

» Indoor sports floorings

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

STOCKMEIER URETHANES GmbH & Co.KG 32657 Lemgo, Germany urethanes.ger@stockmeier.com www.stockmeier­ urethanes.de

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Indoor sports floorings

» Outdoor sports floorings

Spieth Gymnastics GmbH 73776 Altbach, Germany info@spieth­ gymnastics.com www.spieth­ gymnastics.com

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Indoor equipment

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

» Sports ground equipment

Tatamsport 50014 Zaragoza, Spain tatamsport@toldosserrano.com www.tatamsport.com

» Indoor equipment

» Sports hall dividers

Trenomat GmbH & Co. KG

42327 Wuppertal, Germany info@trenomat.de www.trenomat.de

» Indoor equipment

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

» Perimeter boards, nettings

» Sports hall dividers

Universal Sport Sportgeräteherstellungs- und Vertriebs GmbH 71101 Schönaich, Germany info@universal­sport.com www.universal­sport.com

» Ice sports equipment

» Indoor equipment

» Mobile floorings, cover systems

» Perimeter boards, nettings

» Sports ground equipment

WM technics GmbH

39053 Blumau, Italy info@wm­technics.com www.wm­ on­ice.com

Troldtekt A/S

8310 Tranbjerg J., Denmark info@troldtekt.com www.troldtekt.com

» Ceilings, windows, walls

TURNBAR by Eiden & Wagner

54634 Bitburg, Germany info@turnbar.net www.turnbar.net

» Fitness equipment

» Indoor equipment

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor equipment

» Sports ground equipment

Vindico Sport GmbH

73463 Westhausen, Germany info@vindico ­sport.de www.vindico ­sport.com

» Outdoor equipment » Multi-sport courts

» Stadium and arena equipment

» Sports ground construction

» Sports ground equipment

ZELLER bäderbau GmbH

89520 Heidenheim, Germany info@zeller-baederbau.com www.zeller-baederbau.com

» Aquatic construction » Aquatic equipment

» Pool construction, stainless steel

Hans-Joachim Weitzel GmbH & Co. KG 25436 Tornesch, Germany schult@hjweitzel.de www.hjweitzel.de

» Artificial turf

» Elastic layers, protecting surfaces

» Multi-sport courts

» Outdoor sports floorings

» Sports ground construction

Züko Deutschland GmbH 78176 Blumberg, Germany deutschland@zueko.com www.zueko.com

» Changing rooms and equipment

» Ice hockey boards

» Ice resurfacers

» Ice rink construction » Ice sports equipment

Your product and company information on a half page, newsletter feature, plus your logo in the company index –for just EUR 870 per year.

» Ice resurfacers

sb 2/2024

International magazine for sports, leisure and recreational facilities

Editorial board and publisher

IAKS

International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities

Eupener Straße 70 50933 Cologne, Germany

Phone +49 (0) 221 16 80 23-0

Fax +49 (0) 221 16 80 23-23 sb@iaks.sport www.iaks.sport

Secretary General with overall responsibility

Klaus Meinel meinel@iaks.sport

Marketing

Maximilian Rosenau rosenau@iaks.sport

+49(0)221 168023-13

Graphic design

Victoria Page page@iaks.sport

Subscription price 2024 65 EUR Germany 85 EUR Other countries 12 EUR Single issue

ISSN (Print): 0036-102X

ISSN (Internet): ISSN 2198-4271

Jurisdiction and place of performance: Cologne, Germany

For advertisement prices, see 2024 Media Data.

Translation/Editorial report

Tim Chafer, ExperTeam

Otto-Hahn-Str. 57, 40591 Düsseldorf, Germany

Euro-Sprachendienst Jellen Rheinaustr. 125, 53225 Bonn, Germany www.euro ­sprachendienst.de

Print

Limberg­ Druck

Industriestr. 17 41564 Kaarst, Germany www.limberg.de

The publisher has unlimited rights to work accepted for printing.

Reprint or duplication, even of extracts, is only permitted with the publisher‘s written consent.

+49(0)221 168023-12

Editorial board

Silke Bardenheuer bardenheuer@iaks.sport

+49(0)221 168023-11

Marketing

Felicia Astuni astuni@iaks.sport +49(0)221 168023-15

Subscriptions

Alexia Chrissanthopoulou chrissanthopoulou@iaks.sport +49(0)221 168023-14

UPCOMING ISSUE

AQUATIC AND WELLNESS FACILITIES

Date of publication: 30.06.2024

Photo: Peter Bennetts

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND ENJOY A YEAR FULL OF INSPIRING ARCHITECTURE!

“sb“ showcases exemplary architecture, spectrum of innovations, products and services from the leisure centre, sports facility, swimming pool and wellness sector

Six issues per year. Annual subscription at EUR 85 including shipping.

EDITORIAL PROGRAMME 2024

1/2024 SPORTS HALLS AND ARENAS

2/2024 STADIA AND SPORTS GROUNDS

3/2024 AQUATIC AND WELLNESS FACILITIES

4/2024 ACTIVATING URBAN SPACES

5/2024 SUSTAINABILITY

6/2024 ACTIVE COMMUNITIES

2 HOURS PLASTIC WRAP 15 YEARS FOOTBALL TURF

We recycle plastic to make the football world of tomorrow more sustainable. At Polytan, we use upcycled materials to create the highest-quality synthetic sports surfaces in terms of safety and playability. We are passionate about providing ideal playing conditions for athletes in every sport – and doing so in the most sustainable manner possible.

www.polytan.com/sustainability