No limits

There are almost no limits on sport acti­vi­ties to throw yourself into in this 1,700 square metre sports centre placed in Ørestad, the southern part of Copen­hagen. Ørestad Stree­thal is the smal­lest public buil­ding in this newly deve­loped area. The sports faci­lity is desi­gned by NORD Archi­tects in close co-crea­tion with the users, to cater and promote informal sports acti­vi­ties.

Ørestad Stree­thal is deve­loped and desi­gned to be a vibrant urban space that creates new commu­ni­ties and social sustaina­bi­lity within the giant struc­tures of the big buil­dings and long boule­vards in Ørestad City.

Collaboration

The multi-purpose sports and commu­nity faci­lity was deve­loped through a process based on colla­bo­ra­tion with a dedi­cated group of users, local stake­hol­ders and inha­bi­tants to cater specific local needs. During an open process in the early and deve­lo­ping phase, the archi­tects faci­li­tated work­shops where the users dealt with prio­ri­ties of acti­vi­ties and func­tions.

24/7

Ørestad Stree­thal is open 24/7 to the public, school classes and local sports clubs. It is divided into heated and unheated areas, with the unheated part as the biggest multi­func­tional spaces for diffe­rent acti­vi­ties as basket­ball and floor­ball and the heated part as a space for dance, yoga, mate­rial arts or floor exer­cises for smaller groups.

Ørestad Stree­thal is unstaffed and all acti­vi­ties and events are arranged and held by the users them­selves whether orga­nized in groups or private initia­tives.

Invitation to creativity

As opposed to the surroun­ding buil­dings, the lowest point of Ørestad Stree­thal is facing Ørestad Boule­vard, and in this way meeting and welco­ming the people in the neigh­bor­hood on ground level. Further­more, the buil­ding stands out due to its green roof and wooden mate­rials.

Ørestad Stree­thal is a kind of shelter for local sports and social events and in this way an invi­ta­tion to crea­ti­vity, acti­vity and recrea­tion. It is built as a light struc­ture that welcomes open­ness and unpre­dic­ta­bi­lity in this other­wise fully planned urban area. It gene­rates social inter­ac­tion and liva­bi­lity in Ørestad City.

The rela­tion to the surroun­ding park empha­sizes the inclu­sive and acces­sible character of the buil­ding, that has no back, but a long unbroken strip of windows making the acti­vi­ties inside, visible from the park – and reversed.