Olga Wątorek and Paulina Wilde, architecture students at the Opole University of Technology, are the authors of a comprehensive design for an ice rink and sports facility. Their goal was to create a building that combines not only activity and sports functions, but also responds to the needs of Opole residents.
The project was developed at the Faculty of Construction and Architecture of the Opole University of Technology under the direction of Radoslaw Wanago. The proposed building is a modern ice rink, which has been enriched with additional functions such as a gym, restaurant and fan store. The building will function as a skating rink and a place to play field hockey in winter, while in summer it will turn into a roller skating rink.
The designed ice rink is located near the Stegu Arena
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
The facility we designed is part of an entertainment and sports complex in the Opole city space. The aim of the project was to create a sports space that would encourage residents to spend time actively, increase physical fitness and promote a healthy lifestyle, the authors say.
The landscaping is based on a grid of horizontal and vertical strips
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
sports neighborhood
The biggest challenge for the students was to integrate the designed facility into the city landscape and urban context. The development of the area chosen by the authors is based on a grid consisting of horizontal and vertical strips: pedestrian and bicycle communication, green areas, wooden paths, along which benches were located. The area is a space that seamlessly connects the proposed building with the adjacent Stegu Arena colloquially known as "Okrąglak".
The ice rink is located in Opole's performance and sports zone
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
The designed sports facility blends in with its surroundings, with little impact on the landscape due to the fact that only two stories above ground level are visible, allowing the Stegu Arena building to remain as a spatial dominant. This solution also favors the high installation requirements of the ice rink - constant cooling of the sheet in the facility. The building additionally collects rainwater, which is used to flush the toilets, the authors explain.
The entrance has been accentuated by beheading the corner of the block
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
The entrance to the building was accentuated by beheading the northwest corner of the building, creating a more open mass. On the north side, along Waterworks Street, there were above-ground parking spaces and an entrance to a two-story underground garage, capable of accommodating more than two hundred cars.
The entrance area consists of a reception area, checkroom, store and relaxation space
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
not just an ice rink
After passing through the main door, users reach the entrance area, which consists of a reception desk, locker room, fan store, and is enriched by a relaxation space. Toilets have been located here, as well as transportation risers with elevators to facilitate movement around the facility. In addition, there is a direct entrance to the two-story restaurant, which opens up a view of the entire interior of the facility.
The first floor is mainly occupied by rooms for guests: VIP boxes with comfortable chairs, conference rooms with a view of the ice rink, the competition office, the director's office with a mezzanine and the VIP restaurant. Due to the good visibility, the central part of the north and south walls have spaces provided for media and sports commentators.
The facility consists of two above-ground and two underground floors
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
The entire ice rink area located under the surface of the site consists of the main sheet, surrounded by an auditorium designed to accommodate 3,900 spectators, taking into account people with disabilities, for whom a specially adapted space has been allocated. In addition, a side taffy has been designed mainly for skating lessons and recreational skating, figure skating and training of young hockey players.
The stands can accommodate 3.9 thousand spectators
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
The rink has been developed with the entire technical infrastructure, which is located in the northern and southern zones on the -2 floor. Around the rink, locker rooms have been designed, equipped with toilets and showers for sports teams of different sizes, locker rooms for coaches and referees, an equipment room, as well as first-aid medical facilities. In order to maintain the condition of the ice sheet, a machine called a roller is needed, for which garages with easy access to the sheet have been provided. Due to the size of the machine, the underground garage has been connected to the top floor to allow free access.
Level -2 also houses a skating rink for learning
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
In the west wing of the facility, on level -1, there is a glass-enclosed gym with a sauna for players and customers of the facility. The space allows users to maintain proper athletic form, perform warm-ups before matches and strengthen their bodies. Side stands and restrooms, archives and grocery stores have been placed around the internal circulation system.
The facade is covered with architectural concrete and cut by vertical strips of windows
© Olga Wątorek, Paulina Wilde
architectural concrete facade
The ice rink building was designed using traditional technology - masonry combined with steel lattice girders, which are ideal for large spans. For the sake of aesthetics, the gutters were hidden in the roof. The facade is covered with raw architectural concrete - a material that does not stand out strongly against the background of neighboring buildings. The building has been crisscrossed with vertical strips of windows that illuminate the interiors. In order to break the rhythms, the architects introduced decorative, openwork horizontal elements of black metal on the central window opening.
The idea behind the project was to create an attractive place that meets the requirements of modern man. A place that provides safety and comfort for spectators during sports events and for children during recreational and training activities, the authors conclude.
