“Sports center at the University Campus of Patras”

Student: PAPANTONIOU ANDREANA
Supervisor: Liapi Katerina
UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS - DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Presentation date: July 2009

The dominant intention of this project was the design of sports center at the University Campus of Patras. The main parameters of choosing the particular area was the distance between the Campus and the centre of the city as well as the privilege position in relation with the road axes and the accesses to the area. Also, the existence of a football stadium and the absence of a sport center, the requisite space, the strong geophysical characteristics and the topography of the area contributed to the selection of the designing area.

The uses and the functional program of this project composes the main stadium of 6,000 spectators, the tennis court, the swimming-pool, the gym, two central squares and the athletic residential building. Furthermore, the project comprises open-air spaces and building infrastructures for the public (recreation spaces, shopping, cultural institutions etc). The new spaces can be used not only by the university students but also by the local community, giving a more social role of the athletic building.

The project is characterized by a light structure thematic roof that covers part of the various athletic spaces and is divided into parts beginning from the main stadium. The roof follows the devised form of the ground plan's axes and through its shape union the two main athletic spaces. Each part of the roof is clothed with semitransparent fabric covering and thus providing large expanses of overhead enclosure for the public. Also, it is characterized by its harmonic incorporation in the natural environment.

The main aim of the synthesis was the creation of a building form that could enclose the athletic process without isolating it from the around area, to feature the agonistic area as a principle of the architectural design and finally to approach the university community. The athletic building can be adapted to a recreation area, to a meeting space and a place of walk.