Thialf
Focussing on top-sport.
Ice skating belongs to Dutch culture like no other sports. Let’s call it a national obsession. Putting on the skates and jumping on to the ice whenever possible it is in the DNA of many. It has a strong connection with Dutch heritage. It is an Olympic top-sport and watching competitions live or on screen belongs to all seasons.
World famous (speed) ice skating stadium Thialf is an international icon, steeped in tradition and record breaking performances for many years. But the building needed an architectonic transition into the 21st century – in order to keep it up-to date, profitable and moreover to provide a sustainable modern topsport environment, including environmentally conscious technologies and spaces.
The re-design and building of the ice stadium was an immense task. In cooperation with ZJA Architects DAY worked on the spacial experience concept to revamp the stadium, which is used as a sports and entertainment venue, all year round.
Client
Thialf Ice Skating Stadium
Sector
Sport, Leisure
Category
Experience Concept, Spatial & Interior Design
Services
Spatial & Interior design, Spatial Branding, Vision on Space and Experience, Signage & Wayfinding, Concept development, Tender document and manual
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DAY was commissioned to create the overall ‘Vision on Space and Experience’ for the stadium. For this vision we developed the concept of FOCUS as the main theme for the environmental experience. FOCUS translates the concentration on the icy center of the stadium, where milli-seconds mean winning or losing a competition.
Combined with the visual inspiration natural ice the design reflects the blue layered world of frozen water. The blue glass ‘membrane’ – which divides the ice from other areas in the building – is the eyecatcher of the stadium which gives it the iconic look, also highly recognisable on tv-screens.
Starting from the concept we developed design principles for each area of the stadium; the rink, central meeting points, hospitality, public spaces etc.
This so-called ‘Vision on Space and Experience’ formed the base from which the complete interior design process was built upon. Summarised in a tender document providing detailed information with visual references that were briefed to constructors, as well as, other agencies and partners.
Moreover DAY designed the the spatial branding and the way finding system.
And the cherry to our cake:
The project was rewarded with two international awards!
