m2r architecture

Description

The brief > The new Vogtland Arena in Klingenthal is a regeneration project initiated to bring life and new jobs back to an area, which was one of the finest ski resorts in “East Germany”. In summer 2003, m2r-architecture won the design competition to build a new Ski Jump (Inrun Structure) within the facility. Our client brief was to build a ski jump, which can compete with the best ski jumping hills in the world but also to create a new landmark for the “Vogtland”. The big challenge was the very small budget available to our government client. > The concept > The invention of lightweight materials that lead to a radical re-development of all skiing equipment improved and changed the sport significantly. Our design concept sought to reflect and incorporate similar advances in both technology and vision in the ski jump. We designed a steel structure, which is as light as possible but expresses the elegance and precision of the sport. The incredibly difficult access to the construction site required a high level of prefabrication to achieve the high standard of quality and meet the programme’s tight timescale. The new structure was developed in single components, which could be modified individually to attain their best performance. The whole construction period on site was only 4 months. > The design > The capsule is an imaginative source of light that appears to float some 35m high above the trees! It forms a beacon visible from afar that has become an eye-catching landmark in the mountains. It serves as the last warm-up for the athletes before their jump and also serves as a new visitor attraction, providing an impressive panoramic view of the Vogtland. The ski jump is operational all year round due to a ceramic “Inrun” track and an artificial material on the landing zone.