Bonus Track

400 meters, curve, straight line: athle­tics faci­li­ties are actually always the same. The 3D Athle­tics Track desi­gned by Subar­qui­tec­tura breaks with this mono­tony. With a spec­ta­cular addi­tional track in the third dimen­sion, a stan­dard faci­lity has been trans­formed into a mile­stone in modern sports archi­tec­ture.

To this day, the project shows how a single idea can comple­tely change ever­yday life on the running track – and the cons­truc­tion of sports faci­li­ties at the same time.

Athle­tics faci­li­ties are among the most stan­dar­dized sports faci­li­ties of all: 400 meters in length, a curve radius of 36.5 meters and a track width of 1.22 meters leave little room for inno­va­tion. This is precisely where Subar­qui­tec­tura came in with an idea that is as simple as it is radical.

In addi­tion to the classic circular track, an alter­na­tive, three-dimen­sional route was created – the so-called “Bonus Track”.

This addi­tional track sepa­rates from the main track at the start of the home straight, runs elevated above the chan­ging area, runs behind the spec­tator stands and then rejoins the regular running track. The track thus becomes a spatial expe­ri­ence and consider­ably expands the trai­ning and usage options.

The spec­ta­cular lines are not an end in them­selves. The elevated track also provides the roofing for the func­tional areas and forms the archi­tec­tural conclu­sion of the grand­stand. Chan­ging rooms, ancil­lary rooms and visitor areas are located under the struc­ture – compactly orga­nized and deli­bera­tely imple­mented with reduced mate­rials. It is precisely this clarity of design that gives the project its time­less effect to this day.

Right from its opening, the faci­lity set stan­dards for user orien­ta­tion, quality of stay and inclu­sion. Spec­ta­tors are closer to the action, while athletes have addi­tional trai­ning options. Barrier-free access and usable routes also make the faci­lity acces­sible to a wide range of user groups.

Even 15 years after its realiza­tion, the 3D Athle­tics Track seems surpri­singly up-to-date. The project shows that inno­va­tion in sports faci­lity cons­truc­tion does not neces­s­a­rily come from spec­ta­cular large-scale projects, but from intel­li­gent further deve­lo­p­ment of the ever­yday.

The 3D Athle­tics Track exem­pli­fies the courage to reinter­pret estab­lished stan­dards – and remains a defi­ning refe­rence project for crea­tive, func­tional and sustainable sports archi­tec­ture.

And for a grand gesture.

Subar­qui­tec­tura

Andrés Silanes, Fernando Valder­rama, Carlos Bañón

Admi­nis­tra­tion of the city of Elda

Opening

2011

Photos

David Frutos Ruiz
Subar­qui­tec­tura

Johannes Bühl­be­cker
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