Nussli builds the world's largest temporary ice hockey arena
The sports hub of Lausanne is receiving a new sports complex, including an ice hockey arena for the home club as well as a swimming pool with diving area for the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. The construction of the new sports facility will take a total of two years. To allow the team from the National League A hockey club to continue training and hosting competitive games as usual during the two-year construction phase, NUSSLI created a temporary ice hockey arena.
During this two-year construction period of the new sports complex, Lausanne Hockey Club will be utilizing an interim sports venue built by NUSSLI. At 66 meters wide and 96 meters long, the temporary ice hockey arena is the first of its kind in the world. Never before has temporary ice hockey hall of this size been built. The extensive range of technology necessary for the realization of the interim solution posed a thorny, but definitely not insoluble challenge for the project team.
Turnkey overall concept
As a general contractor, NUSSLI is responsible for all project phases — from the planning to the design and actual construction and maintenance of the arena, to the subsequent disassembly of the entire ice hockey arena. NUSSLI planned this innovative project with support from BG Ingenieure Lausanne. The project team impressed the client with a turnkey overall concept. The basic design of the hall is formed by a conventional steel structure. This made it possible for the project team to build the arena without supports along its entire width. Thanks to NUSSLI’s intelligent modular system, the client had almost unlimited options when it came to the design of the facade. The LHC chose an understated cladding design made of white sandwich panels.
The interior of the temporary hall, such as the grandstand for 6,700 fans, consists primarily of proprietary systems material from NUSSLI, which can eventually be completely disassembled to be re-used in other projects. This construction method impresses not only with its sustainability, but also with the short realization time and offers all the fan in the grandstands an optimal view of the playing area. A fan of Lausanne Hockey Club is of the same opinion: “You can follow the game much better on the new grandstand and no longer need to stand up to see the puck.” The technical equipment of the temporary ice hockey arena is also state of the art: The lighting as well as the sound and image systems meet the current requirements of the SRG SSR for TV broadcasts. This means that the fans at home will also get their money’s worth.
Outside of the ice hockey arena, the fans and athletes will also want for nothing. In addition to the hospitality area, NUSSLI erected a container village from a total of 135 pre-fab containers, which hold the infrastructure for media and press, cloakrooms, offices, technology, as well as a shop and a ticket office. “The team benefits from the generous space which is available, even if it's in containers,” emphasizes Thierry Comte, equipment manager of the LHC. The team of the hockey club is so keen on their interim venue that they’d really prefer not to give it back. "The temporary arena has become our new home. Preparation for the season in the new environment has given us momentum and allows us to leave the daily routine behind," Dan Ratushny, LHC Head Coach, is convinced.
Complex challenges – ingenious and sustainable solutions
The ice rink meets the most current standards of the National Hockey League. Ice production already began in the summer. The biggest challenge was the comprehensive range of equipment required for the ice production. The humidity generated during the production of the ice for the rink surface posed a complex challenge for NUSSLI’s planning team. The problem was solved with a special dehumidifying system, which creates a dry climate in the hall even during periods with high external temperatures, thereby preventing the formation of mist above the ice.
The NUSSLI project team was already considering the issue of what will happen with the ice hockey arena after its use in Lausanne long before its completion in August 2017. As early as during the conceptual phase, NUSSLI’s plans for the temporary arena already included its subsequent use after its disassembly in two years’ time. According to this plan, the arena can also be used for other types of sports with a few minor changes.
Spectacular and unique
As an ingenious interim solution — for times when the regular venue happens to be unavailable — temporary halls by NUSSLI make it possible for our clients to hold their sporting events wherever they choose. Our experts take on even the most extraordinary of challenges in the realization of temporary event halls, and inspire guests and audiences with sophisticated spatial structures for the duration of use of each temporary event. A variety of hall systems provide for both simple and highly complex solutions with highly flexible floor plans. This allows agencies and architects to give their creativity free rein when designing facades and the shape of the arena.
Our unique hall systems are flexible and cost-effective and enable even multi-story constructions with extremely short assembly and disassembly times. Using our latest developments, we construct hall structures out of system material on all types of terrain without elaborate foundations, without large construction cranes, and with the construction site taking up minimal space. Sustainability is of the utmost importance to us. While temporary buildings already conserve resources in and of themselves, we go even further by using innovative and reusable materials, thereby ensuring a good ecological balance.
Contact
Marike van der Ben
Team Leader Marketing
T: +41 52 748 2215
M: +41 79 831 2215
E: marketing@nussli.com