Rethink

The original stadium, a classic type B pitch, was in serious need of reno­va­tion. The natural turf could no longer with­stand the inten­sive use by soccer, American foot­ball and school sports, and the old synthetic running track had also seen its best days. In addi­tion, the pathways and recrea­tional areas no longer met today’s requi­re­ments for acces­si­bi­lity and quality of stay.

The Moor­manns­kamp stadium was ther­e­fore comple­tely rethought and rede­si­gned during the moder­niza­tion. The aim was to create a faci­lity that func­tions all year round, provides space for diffe­rent types of sport, creates new faci­li­ties and remains robust and future-proof.

The plan­ning was done by Kilian + Kollegen Land­schafts­ar­chi­tekten.

Parti­ci­pate

The plan­ning process was already based on diver­sity: repre­sen­ta­tives of athle­tics, soccer and soccer clubs and schools contri­buted their needs in a speci­ally orga­nized work­shop.

The new Moor­manns­kamp stadium was ther­e­fore not only created for the users, but with them. As a visible result, special requi­re­ments such as perma­nent foot­ball lines, addi­tional jumping disci­plines and multi­func­tional areas were imple­mented in line with the wishes of future user groups.

Sports ground

The center­piece of the faci­lity is the new arti­fi­cial turf pitch, which replaces the previous natural turf. The dimen­sions comply with the DFB’s speci­fi­ca­tions, but also allow for rule-compliant American soccer as well as soccer. The combi­na­tion of sand and cork infill has created an elastic, safe and durable surface that reliably absorbs both the fast pace of soccer and the high impact forces of American foot­ball.

The under­lying layers were also comple­tely renewed to ensure drai­nage, load-bearing capa­city and long-term stabi­lity. The yellow foot­ball line blends in well with the overall line pattern and allows the foot­ball teams to train and play in profes­sional condi­tions without rest­ric­ting soccer opera­tions.

Track

The 400-metre running track has been comple­tely reno­vated and its struc­ture rede­si­gned to enable a much more varied sports program. The segments around the track have been orga­nized in such a way that the classic disci­plines such as long jump, triple jump, pole vault and shot put have optimal condi­tions. A sepa­rate area has been created for the javelin and discus – two disci­plines that are not possible on arti­fi­cial turf.

As a result of this reor­ga­niza­tion, the former battle track has deve­loped from a rather limited faci­lity into a place that accom­mo­dates the entire spec­trum of athle­tics. Schools and clubs in parti­cular benefit from this, as trai­ning and compe­ti­tions can now be held in parallel and more flexibly.

New offers

In addi­tion to tradi­tional sports, the focus is now shif­ting to new exer­cise options. The southern segment has been deve­loped into a multi­func­tional small playing field that is suitable for basket­ball, volley­ball and hand­ball and can be flexibly recon­fi­gured as required. Directly adja­cent, a modern fitness area with a calis­the­nics faci­lity has been created – an offer that is no longer just a trend sport, but appeals to many target groups as a low-thres­hold form of trai­ning.

The nort­hern segment has also been revi­ta­lized: speed­minton squares, markings for thro­wing exer­cises and three tram­po­lines inte­grated into the surface create a very unique, playful character here. The result is an addi­tional place for exer­cise, espe­ci­ally for children and young people.

Calis­the­nics

The modular calis­the­nics faci­lity comple­ments the sports offer as a low-thres­hold trai­ning option for diffe­rent target groups.

The equip­ment was supplied by TURNBAR, a provider of calis­the­nics sports faci­li­ties that are speci­ally desi­gned for public spaces and a wide range of user groups. TURNBAR contri­buted its expe­ri­ence in the plan­ning and imple­men­ta­tion of robust, low-barrier outdoor trai­ning equip­ment that can be flexibly inte­grated into the overall concept of the sports area and support ever­yday exer­cise acti­vi­ties.

Encounter

Parti­cular emphasis was placed on acces­si­bi­lity and good internal circu­la­tion. New ramps, rede­si­gned stair­cases and wider paths ensure easy access. The entrance area was given a clearer struc­ture and signi­fi­cantly upgraded with seating and planted areas.

Today, the Moor­manns­kamp stadium pres­ents itself as a contem­po­rary, versa­tile and robust sports faci­lity that has a signal effect far beyond Ritter­hude. It shows how careful plan­ning, user parti­ci­pa­tion and clear demands on the quality of the mate­rials used have resulted in a sports faci­lity that combines tradi­tion and moder­nity – as a lively place for encoun­ters, exer­cise and commu­nity.

Toge­ther

The versa­ti­lity of the Außen­mühle sports park is also due to the decision of the plan­ning office Kilian und Kollegen and the Harburg district autho­rity as the client to involve all the depart­ments, schools and sports clubs in the deve­lo­p­ment of this exem­plary project from the outset.

This also included more than 200 comm­ents and sugges­tions that have been submitted in parti­ci­pa­tion processes since spring 2020.

The project was financed with funds from the Inte­grated District Deve­lo­p­ment Frame­work Program (RISE), the Ministry of the Inte­rior and Sport, the Finance Autho­rity and the Harburg district autho­rity.

The total costs amounted to 4.1 million euros and cons­truc­tion took two years.

School sports in the sports park

The Salza-Gymna­sium in Bad Langen­salza consists of two parts: While the upper school resides in a stately-looking buil­ding from 1867, grades 5 to 10 are housed in a more prag­matic struc­ture from 1980. However, the Salza Hall, which was reno­vated in 2020, and the new Salza Sports Park offer outstan­ding sports and leisure faci­li­ties.

The restruc­tu­ring of the Salza-Gymna­sium sports park had become neces­sary because the exis­ting running tracks and the long jump faci­lity had to make way for an exten­sion to the Salza hall.

The new Salza-Gymna­sium sports park makes a virtue of this need by lite­rally seeking and finding new paths, espe­ci­ally for the running tracks – and taking into account all the requi­re­ments of school sports (inclu­ding those rele­vant to exami­na­tions) and popular sports. At the same time, new rooms and areas are being created for socia­li­zing before and after sports.

Instead of a large pitch

All of this takes place on the surface of a tradi­tional large playing field and is a fine example of over­co­ming mono­func­tional core sports faci­li­ties. In addi­tion, two fields for beach volley­ball were created at the western end, which can also be used for shot put.

The Salza-Gymna­sium sports park over­comes the classic, rectan­gular and flat sports land­scape with many diffe­rent, multi­func­tional and desi­gned areas and faci­li­ties – and it does so with verve.