GMP Architekten's state-of-the-art sports centre set to host World University Games

Architects GMP Architekten - von Gerkan, Marg and Partners have completed the Dong'an Lake Sports Park, an ensemble of three new sports and leisure buildings in Chengdu, China. The architects won the competition to design the park in 2018, and it will now be the venue for the coming FISU World University Games.

The park sits in Dong’an New Town, west of Chengdu's city centre, in the heart of the Longquan district. The central plaza is home to a sports hall with 18,000 seats, a multifunctional hall, and an indoor pool complex. Each building features a square footprint and a louvre-style façade with folded, shiny silver aluminium elements, which turn towards the centre of the façade.

The buildings are linked by a shared plinth that includes indoor training facilities for basketball, table tennis, and badminton, as well as restaurants, shops, and parking. The plinth faces an open courtyard area, which provides a communal space for visitors to the park. The louvre structure continues onto the roof as a fifth façade, enclosing the technical structures and giving the ensemble an iconic appearance that can be seen from above.

The entrance to each building is marked by narrow recesses, creating an intriguing sense of depth and dimensionality. Inside the halls, each building has its own colour code, making it easy for visitors to navigate the park. The calm interior provides spaces for meetings and movement, creating a diverse functional mix that includes training facilities for performance and popular sports, as well as a new social meeting place for the Longquan district.

The park is bordered by two large urban traffic axes to the north and west, and the design guides visitors from there directly to the site. The offset arrangement of the three buildings in conjunction with the neighbouring stadium creates interesting interior and exterior spaces. The park's design provides a space for a diverse range of activities, including training facilities for popular and performance sports, socialising, and meetings.

The Dong'an Lake Sports Park is the latest addition to the city's impressive portfolio of architectural landmarks. The park is a celebration of modern design and innovation, offering visitors a glimpse into the future of architecture. With its iconic appearance and diverse functional mix, it is set to become one of Chengdu's most popular landmarks.

 

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