Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China

Slated for completion in 2017, construction on the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) Sports Centre has begun. The complex, designed by gmp Architekten, will combine sports, leisure and cultural facilities along with generous retail and hotel areas all embedded in a generous public landscape. Read more about this addition to China’s Suzhou Industrial Park after the break.

Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - CityscapeConstruction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Image 3 of 7Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - CityscapeConstruction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Cityscape, FacadeConstruction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - More Images+ 2

Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Cityscape
Aerial Rendered View. Image Courtesy of gmp Architekten

From the architect: Suzhou is famous in China for its landscape design, and the master-plan for this new sports park is based on this tradition. In a modern interpretation of the city’s traditional gardens, an informally designed park landscape flows around the podiums that rise in straight lines from the surrounding streets and support the stadiums. The curved roofs of the stadiums give the impression of pavilions, marking the high points in this landscape. As visitors walk along the curved pathways, various vistas open up to water features, pavilion architecture, and the landscape. The site opens out to the Xietang River to the south, with various sports grounds embedded in the landscape.

Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Image 3 of 7
Exterior Rendered View. Image Courtesy of gmp Architekten

The sports park – which has been developed jointly by the City and District authorities – includes a 45,000-seat stadium, an indoor pool with 3,000 seats, and a sports hall with 15,000 seats, and is surrounded by numerous residential quarters and a lively ambiance. With its wide range of functions, beyond pure sporting events, the park has been designed to ensure a permanent and sustainable flow of visitors.

Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Cityscape
Exterior Rendered View. Image Courtesy of gmp Architekten

All three stadiums are topped by conspicuous undulating roofs that make the ensemble into a landmark visible from afar. In addition, the succinct character of the ensemble is reinforced by a uniform façade design: the façades of both the stadiums and the podiums are structured by horizontal lines which follow the shape of the buildings in elegant curves.

Owing to its size and impressive clear span of 250 meters, the 45,000-seat stadium with its covered stands forms the focal point of the park. Its curved silhouette stands out from the urban environment, blending harmoniously with the landscape and the park at the Xietang River. The single-skin cable network roof construction with a membrane skin is not only remarkable for its resource-saving, economical design, but also has an almost suspended, gracious appearance reminiscent of floating curved silk.

Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Cityscape
Aerial View of Construction. Image Courtesy of gmp Architekten

Likewise, the indoor swimming pool with seating for 3,000 spectators and the marked undulation of its roof shape created with a single-skin cable network construction combines an elegant, floating appearance with great structural strength. In addition to the competition and training pools, the swimming hall includes a spa area, leisure pools, and sports shops.

The roof of the covered multi-purpose hall for 15,000 visitors located to the north-east of the site is supported by V-shaped columns. They provide a rhythm to the transparent glass façade of the hall, which is just as suitable for large international sports events as it is for concerts, exhibitions, etc.

Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China - Cityscape, Facade
Exterior Rendered View. Image Courtesy of gmp Architekten

In addition to the three sports stadiums there is a hotel and retail center that harmonizes with the undulating landscape in similar fashion. In its façades, it replicates the horizontal lines of the other buildings and thereby fits harmoniously into the ensemble. A special dynamism is created by the lines of the high-rise building façade, which are spaced at reducing intervals towards the top, thereby conveying a fine elegance to the large tower.

The facility is well connected to the Metro and offers the Suzhou citizens not only park, sports and leisure facilities but also various shops for day-to-day needs, thus creating an attractive center for the new part of the city.

  • Architects

  • Location

    999 Xian Dai Da Dao, Wuzhong Qu, Suzhou Shi, Jiangsu Sheng, China, 215123
  • Design

    Meinhard von Gerkan, Nikolaus Goetze, Magdalene Weiss
  • Project leader, competition

    Chen Ying, Sebastian Schmidt
  • Design team, competition

    Cai Xing, Feng Chenjie, Martin Friedrich, Alex Fu, Gao Shusan, Jin Zhan, Li Zhaoying, Song Mo, Wang Lin, Yan Luji, Zhang Zhen, Zhao Mengtong, Zhu Lingli, Li Mu, Christina Patt
  • Project leader, implementation

    Chen Ying, Sui Jingying, Yan Luji
  • Team implementation

    Nard Buijs, Cai Lei, Jessen Chen, Alex Fu, Huang Meng, Li Chen, Oliver Lößer, Sebastian Schmidt, Su Wen, Wang Minyu, Yao Yao, Zeng Zi, Zhao Mengtong
  • Client

    Suzhou Industrial Park Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd.
  • Area

    421040.0 sqm
  • Project Year

    2017
  • Photographs

    Courtesy of gmp Architekten
  • Location

    999 Xian Dai Da Dao, Wuzhong Qu, Suzhou Shi, Jiangsu Sheng, China, 215123
  • Project Year

    2017
  • Photographs

    Courtesy of gmp Architekten
  • Area

    421040.0 m2

Project gallery

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Project location

Address:999 Xian Dai Da Dao, Wuzhong Qu, Suzhou Shi, Jiangsu Sheng, China, 215123

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: Eric Oh. "Construction Begins on gmp Architekten's SIP Sports Centre in China" 15 Oct 2015. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/775063/construction-begins-on-gmp-architektens-sip-sports-centre-in-china> ISSN 0719-8884

Aerial Rendered View. Image Courtesy of gmp Architekten

苏州工业园区体育中心开工建设

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