In early November, this project received the award as the best sports facility of the year at the next World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Barcelona.
The stadium is located in the resort town of Inzell and after the reconstruction was named "Max Aicher Arena". The project consisted in the reconstruction of the existing open ice arena: it was covered with a wavy, "cloudy" roof, resulting in a modern indoor stadium. The renovation of the building was carried out in preparation for the World Speed Skating Championships, which took place in Inzell in March 2011.
The stadium has a capacity of 7,000 spectators, and its space is suitable for both international competitions and daily training. The roof, measuring 200 mx 90 m, rests on pillars located along the perimeter of the structure, so its internal space is free from supports, and the roof seems to float above it.
Energy savings are achieved by a low-E membrane that is stretched between steel and timber floor frames. It serves to reflect cold temperature radiation rising from the ice back down to the track surface. Thus, the temperature inside the stadium is kept low with minimal effort. The translucent membrane also scatters sunlight entering through 17 openings in the floors facing north. A ribbon window around the perimeter allows spectators to admire the Bavarian Alps, and pedestrians outside - to see what is happening in the arena.
Konstantin Budarin
