28-04-2021 in Sports facilities, Dortmund, Competition

Quadruple sports hall at Dortmunder U: recognition for SHA

Competition

The decision has been made: The design by SHA Scheffler Helbich Architekten GmbH in the planning competition for a four-court sports hall in Dortmund’s Unionviertel district has been awarded a commendation. “Even though it was unfortunately not enough for the top places, we are delighted with the recognition and would like to congratulate all the award winners,” says Marc Horstmeier, authorized signatory at SHA.

A quadruple sports hall is to be built in the Unionviertel district in the west of the city center – in the immediate vicinity of the landmark Dortmunder U – which will be suitable both for daily sports lessons in the surrounding schools and for professional competitions. The hall, which can be divided into four sections, will offer space for around 3,250 spectators. SHA is the only architectural firm from Dortmund that was able to score points for this special building task in the Ruhr area city.

Sustainability and changeability

SHA’s concept envisages an open and inviting sports and event venue that complements and complements the Dortmunder U and is intended to contribute to an enhancement of the surrounding urban fabric. Sustainability and adaptability are key principles of the new sports facility. By layering and stacking their uses, the structural footprint is minimized as much as possible; the “green head” in the form of the floating city garden creates urban biodiversity, binds dust and generates a balanced microclimate. At the same time, it delays rainwater runoff, makes a valuable contribution to urban ecology through its vegetative diversity and creates a special identity.

The required parking spaces are to be located on three storeys above the sports hall. “The parking levels span the body of the hall and give the entire building its unmistakable, compact shape,” says Horstmeier. If these areas are no longer needed in the long term due to a decrease in private transport, the three parking levels could be repurposed as public sports areas, areas for urban gardening and aquaponics or even as inner-city living and working space.

Visitors reach the sports hall itself via a promenade and enter via the spacious two-storey foyer on the forecourt. Even the forecourt offers a high quality of stay and serves as a meeting, waiting and orientation point. A wide visitor terrace then forms the inner foyer. There is a visual reference to the hall interior. An open staircase connects this area upwards with the VIP area and the multifunctional rooms and downwards with the checkrooms and the athletes’ area. The upper tier is designed as a permanent grandstand; in the lower tier, grandstands can be extended on three sides. A mobile grandstand is used on the fourth side.

The sports floor utilizes the height development of the site and is connected at ground level to the Übelgönne street with the sports foyer. This is also where deliveries are made for the kitchen, which supplies all levels from the basement via its own dumbwaiter. The building is of course barrier-free in all publicly accessible areas.

To the competition

The new quadruple sports hall is part of a package of measures for the sustainable consolidation of Dortmund’s sports hall infrastructure. A competition with 20 participants was organized in accordance with the guidelines for planning competitions. A total of 83 applications were received; 19 of the invited offices finally submitted their competition entry anonymously and on time.

The jury ultimately awarded three prizes and two commendations. First prize was awarded to BAURCONSULT Architekten Ingenieure from Haßfurt. Second prize went to Heinle, Wischer und Partner Freie Architekten GbR from Berlin with Landschaftsarchitektur Bos GbR from Berlin. The jury awarded third prize to Auer Weber Assoziierte GmbH from Munich with Grabner Huber Lipp Landschaftsarchitektur und Stadtplaner Partnerschaft mbb from Freising. Further negotiations will now take place with the three award winners within the framework of the procurement regulations. The decision on awarding the contract is then made.