Zhonghe Sports Center | Design Execution-With low building budget, construction methods, material selections as well as building geometry were all as important to help realize the design intention. Q-Lab spent a tremendous amount of time in finding the optimal building geometry so that all the column spacing would be equal and aligned, all the facades would be modulated and unitized, and all the structure pieces would be easily erected and assembled. Moreover, to further save cost, only long-span spaces were realized with steel structure, while the rest of the building was constructed with reinforced concrete on the lower floors. The atrium on the first floor was designed to be a double height space with mezzanine levels on both sides all the way through the entire length of the building so that the plinth feels open and spacious with no obstruction in sight. This atrium space is designed to function as an urban living room, which welcomes visitors with well-lit space and features urban furniture for people to linger and stay. The Mezzanine level hosts a fitness room, a spinning-bike room and three yoga rooms. The third floor hosts six badminton courts and two squash courts. The fourth floor houses 2 basketball courts and a rock-climbing room. These four floors were bundled together to form the “main building” with a faceted exterior that speaks to the hilly surrounding. The field-hockey rink on the other hand was pulled away from the main building and reveals only its green roof to the general public with triangulated windows for people to peek below. This triangulated roof spans almost sixty meters in length and 30 meters in width without one single column. In addition, more than two hundred seats at B1 level were provided when games were hosted.
Conclusion-A sports center in Taiwan is a place to meet, to see and to be seen. It is a building typology that deals with strict sports requirements and at the same time, engages pubic with social protocols and agendas. Q-Lab approaches the design with awareness of its local environment and renders it with structural expression and architectural integrity. We strive to make public buildings sociable and accessible with dynamic quality in both space and form.
Zhonghe Sports Center breaks the norm from conventional building typology. It is a place to meet, to see and to be seen.
