STATUS
Built
SIZE
10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft
YEAR
2011
LOCATION
Karlsruhe, Germany
TYPE
Hospitality + Sport › Sports Center
A Little House among the Trees
A three-court gymnasium for the Institute of Sports and Sports Science emerged In the middle of a dense patch of forest on the south campus of KIT, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
Situated directly next to the institute’s main building and along one of the renowned ‘spokes’ radiating from the Karlsruhe Palace, it replaces the existing building from the year 1956.
Due to its location, the new sports center functions as a subtle link between the campus and the northern Hardtwald.
Accordingly, issues relating to environmental conservation were of considerable importance for the project.
The building was lowered 1 meter into the ground, thereby reducing its appearance and preserving the valuable tree population.
Reduced to a bare minimum in its basic design, the shell of the building incorporates a forest theme.
The dark, rhythmic wood paneling on the façade is in contrast to the generous openings, which seem like clearings in a dark forest.
These glassed elements of the sports center contain slightly reflective glass, causing the surrounding forest to be reflected in the façade.
The design of the interior, on the other hand, contrasts strong yellow and green color tones with grey concrete surfaces.
Free spaces between floors deliberately create interesting lines of sight that connect the entrance and athletic area with the administrative tract.
