DESPHER-reboot

Concept

The overall concept of the design is to design a modern gaming arena, inspired by the four main elements of successful games, which are challenging, rule, interactivity, and goal. Those four-element were converted to architecture. And to give our gaming arena a sense of belonging to our culture, the design of the arena reflects the local environment of the UAE. As we close our eyes and imagine the movement of the sand in the desert, it is as a piece of clothes carried by winds, never held down, the freedom of our design is enhanced by the sand movement in the desert. The sense of the sand dunes, that there is time enough and room enough, and that feeling we wanted the young players to feel. When using sustainable, innovative, and contemporary approaches to integrate nature with architecture, to make something valuable and culturally significant that will not at some point be destroyed.

Use of materials

The materials used in the design should be durable in hot climates. The curved roof is chosen to be 2 sheets of stainless steel with a layer of insulation. The addition of The insolation also prevents some heat to the interior of The building. The arena (the spherical gaming hall) is made out of Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), which will wrap around the exterior, while the interior will also be covered with LED screens. The outer facade of the sphere will be entirely compromised of ETFE, which allows for a fully customizable and dynamic display. The interior of the sphere will also be augmented with a vaulted screen. The arena’s walls are made of concrete made to help withstand hot temperatures, since it works as a shear wall as well. Also, the arena’s walls are covered with Sound Absorption Sheets that improve the sound quality in side the arena due to reduced sound echoes and reverberation. The stairs are also made of concrete with a light sand finish to reduce the slip.

Organization of elements across various levels

Our gaming arena is uniquely situated in the middle of the new Dubai sports city, overlooking the Dubai sports city canal from the northwest. Located between five major sports venues which are currently under construction, and features a number of sports academies.

Planning and management

despher gaming arena is divided into two parts, The sphere (the two types of event halls) and the gaming house (where the other functions). The gaming house houses individual gaming activities and other services, while The sphere houses the main gaming event and the academy.

The sphere is a multi-level events hall, the main tenets hall is called the theatre style event, provided with a 360 led screen and facing the audience sitting from one side. The other type of events hall is called a ring style event, where the audience surrounds the screen from 4 sides. Each of those two types services a different gaming typology.