City of Jaca Hockey Arena / Coll-Barreu Arquitectos

Architects: Coll-Barreu Arquitectos – Juan Coll-Barreu & Daniel Gutiérrez Zarza
Location: Jaca (Huesca), Spain
Collaborators: Pablo Castro, Gorka García, Estibaliz Sanz Reyero, Jorge Bilbao
Project year: 2004-2005
Construction year: 2005-2008
Constructed area: 18,123 sqm
Budget: 24,418,149 EURO (US $32,97M)
Structure: Arup
Ice Production: Ati
Contractor: Vías
Photographs: Aleix Bagué

The City of Jaca Hockey Arena has been the most representative facility of the European Youth Olimpic Festival of Jaca 2007, the first event in the Pyrennes.

Two ice rinks allow the pavillion to celebrate hockey, figure skating, short track curling competitions, being simultaneously a recreational ice center.

The building has reinforced the relevance of the ice in Jaca.It has regenerate an undeveloped area of the city and it has become a successful reference of the Future of Jaca.

Throught the sipirit of the First Winter Games, the project suggestes the idea of natural landscape recovering its great relevance in this kind of indoor activities.

The Dome takes the strength of the nearby Oroel Mount and the Pyrenee peaks, and meets directly the ground without any sort of façade. As a drop of water, the content is contained by no container at all.

The membrane is perceived as a soft crystal of Ice, and it must be crossed to accede, like a natural experience. This membrane groups roof, facade, structure, lightning, electrical, security and air conditioning systems (the latest included into the main structure), and organizes the movements and uses of the pavillion.

Under that delicate efficient shell there is only concrete, brick and ice, with no constructive details.