Arena du Pays d’Aix in Aix-en-Provence, France by Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte

Article source: Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte

The new handball arena is situated on a freeway intersection in the south-west of Aix-en- Provence. The façade is made up of metallic ellipses stacked like layered contours. At first sight, the arena has no front or back- since every side of the façade is treated equally. Only the differently arranged ellipses indicate the front of the arena. The large form embraces an events hall for 6 000 to 8 500 spectators plus a smaller training hall. The arena reacts to the site through geometrical modifications: the ellipses, hovering above another, arranged with a much stronger shift towards the forecourt than to the other sides, thus forming a large canopy to welcome the visitors of the arena. The undersides of the protruding ellipses are illuminated to manifest the building as a whole. In the evening the lights on the undersides additionally help to move the focus of the arena towards the forecourt.

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

• Architects: Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte
• Project: Arena du Pays d’Aix
• Location: 2180-2584 Chemin des 3 Pigeons, 13320 Aix-en-Provence, France
• Photography: Aldo Amoretti
• Client: Communauté du Pays d’Aix, SPLA Pays d’Aix Territoires
• Operator: Lagardère Sports
• Costs: 51,9 million Euros HT
• Surfaces: 23 000 m² Gross floor areas; Main hall with a capacity for 6 000 to 8 500 spectators and a secondary hall for 1 000 to 2 000 spectators
• Competition: 03/2015
• Completion: 09/ 2017

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Aldo Amoretti

Image Courtesy © Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte

Image Courtesy © Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte

Image Courtesy © Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte

Image Courtesy © Auer Weber and CHRISTOPHE GULIZZI Architecte

Tags: Aix-en-Provence, France

Categories: Arena, Event space, Sports Complex, Stadium, Training centre

This entry was posted on Monday, July 30th, 2018 at 7:12 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.