Cycling and Athletics Arena in Odense

DISSING+WEITLING architecture, together with engineers Buro Happold and architects Populous, are the consultants for the project Cycle and Athletics Arena in Odense.

The project is located west of Odense city centre. The site is bounded by Højstrupvej to the south and Møllemarksvej to the east. There are residential areas west of the cycle track and a bowling centre and Bolbro Park to the north. Trees as well as existing vegetation surround the existing outdoor cycle track and associated buildings.

The project describes a solution with the enclosure of a 250 metre long cycle track, as well as establishing a new timber cycle track in combination with a 200 m running track and field event facilities in the central area.

The building is located within the existing track's geometry - this will help emphasize the area's landscape character, while at the same time all existing vegetation is arranged in relation to and supports the existing track's geometry. Thus the new building will right from the start be surrounded by planting. The building is located as far south as possible in the existing track's geometry. This location will make the building visible to passersby. Surplus excavated earth will be used as fill in the area to the north of the building. Additionally the open area on the site will benefit greatly as it will appear as a larger combined area.

The heating system is proposed as downward radiant heating, which is designed to heat the occupied areas at the building's ground level to just under 5 degrees. The heating system will only function in periods when there are users in the arena while the temperature is under 5 degrees.

The athletics track and field event facilities are expected to comply with IAAF's classification, category 3. Depending on the cycle track's final geometry it can only be finalised later whether the athletics track and field event facilities comply with category 3 or 4.

The biggest challenge with regard to the structural design is the need to design a structure that can span over a large column-free area while being both the lightest and most structurally and economically effective solution. During the first stages of the design process it became clear that the best way to achieve these goals was to use a membrane structure in combination with a supporting structure of steel. A membrane functions simultaneously as structure and cladding for the roof. This reduces both weight, costs and the environmental impact of the structure.