Dietger Wissounig Architekten: Sporthalle St. Martin - best architects 15

Dietger Wissounig Architekten

Sporthalle St. Martin

best architects 15

public buildings

Place

Villach

Photos

Paul Ott, Graz

Description

The elongated building is positioned nearly parallel to the road to create a strong public presence and protect the outdoor sport facilities behind it. At the front end there is a small forecourt and the main entrance. The building gets its distinctive look from a copper façade made of folded perforated sheet metal, which envelops the halls like a semi-transparent veil. A horizontal articulation is created by shifting the copper bands by one folded element each storey. The building shell is interrupted by glazed horizontal bands on the north-east side of the upper floor and the south-east side of the ground floor. Numerous skylights provide uniform, glare-free daylight on the interior. In contrast to the copper-coloured façade with its black underlayer, light tones dominate inside. The floor and walls of the gymnastics hall are made of oak, and all the remaining surfaces, including floors, are rendered in creamy white.