ICE HOCKEY ARENA IN GDYNIA
Ground floor area: ~6 890 m2
Total area: ~21 300 m2
Year: 2014
The presented ice hockey arena in Gdynia was designed for a master's degree final project. Analysis and study render it obvious, that such a building is necessary in this city. One of the reasons is that in the future the current ice rink will be liquidated, in order to provide the area for the new City Hall. Moreover, amateur ice hockey teams and numerous enthusiasts of ice-skating among the citizens have been postulating better infrastructure for several years. It was important to place the new ice hockey arena in the proximity of the existing ice rink. This locality is easy to reach via public transportation, both train and bus, it has optimal dimensions and it is located in the sports facilities lane in Gdynia. Furthermore, according to local development plan, a building that will be placed on this parcel could be an urban-architectural dominant, since it is situated on the axis of the Piłsudskiego Avenue. It could be achieved by designing a building that would stand out against its surroundings. In order to adjust to the local development plan and to the existing standards for ice hockey arenas, the design process was started with situating a 60x30 meter sized ice rink on the parcel. Additionally, a smaller ice rink for amateur skaters was planned on the first floor. Alternating glass and white arches would create a dome-shaped construction on the basis of the ellipse. In order to be optically elevated, the main form, raised by archs of glued laminated timber, would be placed on a platform about one floor tall, extended outside of the basis of the ellipse. To provide an appropriate amount of parking space, the building would have two basement levels, storing parking places, technical and ventilation rooms, etc. Due to the relatively large cubic capacity of the facility, a fire way would be created around the building, in order to ensure safe and convenient access for fire brigade vehicles.
