UNIVERSIADES 2017: THE ARCHITECTURE OF EXCELLENCE IN KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakhstan Universiades
The Ice Palace should be considered the most emblematic architectural project of the 2017 Universiades of Almaty (Kazakhstan). In that perspective we have designed this project to be an icon in the urban texture of this city.
In the design phase of this preliminary study are present multiple guidelines which should turn this building into something big, singular, strong and intentional. Projected under three features: Ellipse, the Arch and the Fractal will give to this project features such as union and affirmation.
The interior of the Ice Palace, despite its monumental scale, is clearly organized and easy to understand either for the spectator, athletes, technicians, journalists and other participants. In addition to this there is an intense correspondence between the interior and the exterior. The two main entrances are city oriented with access through the stairs and the other through the countryside to the mountains through ramps.
The site
The construction of the Ice Palace obeys to two fundamental concerns:
- Insertion in the urban context;
- The organization of the surrounding space.
A building with the characteristics of the Ice Palace, inserted in a specific urban context, should connect and exist as a natural extension of the city. S+A tried to create an organized urban texture, a hierarchy of streets and green areas. The implementation of the Ice Palace obeys to specific rules in order to have a building which must have a perfect integration in the context.
With an independent access for athletes and employees, in the opposite side of the main entrance, Saraiva + Associados designed also a parking lot for tourism buses, cars and an access to service operations. The parking space will be distributed across several spaces around the building with special area in the main entrance allowing an easier access to the arena.