Year Round Sports and Recreation Center

Olsztyn, Poland

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Year Round Sports and Recreation Center

Olsztyn, Poland

Firm

Dżus GK Architekci

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Sports Center

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2014

The topic of presentation is Olsztyn's - our hometown's - search for a new identity, as well as the attempt to open the city up to the surrounding lakes. (1) Olsztyn is a small city of about 180,000 people, located in the very middle of Europe. (2) in the region of Warmia and Masuria . Ther's almost no industry or developed infrastructure and it is one of the country's poorest regions. (2a) However, it has an great asset : incredible natural scenery(sinery) . Our region is called the "Land of a Thousand Lakes", and Olsztyn is known as its capital. (3a) The fact that as many as sixteen lakes are located within the borders of this small city is truly exceptional.  (3b) Until 1944, the whole region belonged to Germany and Olsztyn was a major garnison town . It was populated mostly by soldiers and had the nickname Kasernopolis - City of Barracks . After the Land of a Thousand Lakes returned to Poland , as a result of II World War , the city began searching for a new identity . The lakes, however, played no significant role in the city's life for a long time .  When the idea to "opening the city to the lakes" appeard it was obvious that it should be understood both lierally and symbolically .
Before we undertook such an important project , that would influence the functioning of such a large area, it was necessary to conduct analyses on a city-wide scale . We also took a part in many public consultation to get to know the needs and expectations of the citizens . It showed us how many people identify with their city and care about its affairs .
When we began the process of opening the city up to the lakes:
S1. Firstly, we decided to remove the barriers that separated the city from the water: demolish the temporary buildings and fences, as well as move the road away from the water.
 S2. The new buildings are located further away from the shore. In order to make the beach available for more people, its area was doubled . The space which was occupied by temporary buildings before , is now covered by sand and wooden terraces.
 S3. In order to open up the view on the lake from all roads and paths , the new buildings were placed perpendicularly to the shore.
 S4. To preserve the existing vegetation , the shapes of the new buildings were adjusted to the layout of the trees . All roads were built among the trees, as well .
This surrounded by forests complex has been connected to the city by a network of pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes.
(You cant see the trees on the picture because the trees are without leaves , but the only one possibility to make a picture was during the winter ).
During design proces , very important was inwestment low budget , and required for the center , low operating costs .
- Due to the fact that it is all-year-round infrastructure and more than ten thousand people are going to visit the facility daily in the summer season, all elements are made of highly vandal and weather resistant materials. The facade are covered with Siberian Larch as well as concrete with nets for vegetation, terraces and piers are made of azobé, also called red ironwood, and all accessories and equipmnent in public space are made in stainless steel .
- Each building is designed with termal separate zones , to heat the rooms to require . We don,t lose energy for the space out of service .
- There is no lift or mechanical platforms , but all buildings are accessible for people with disabilities .
- The wooden louvered walls and roofs eliminates mechanical ventilation . Most of the cloakrooms have only natural one . Trees , green roofs and ground heat exchangers protects builgings without air conditioning .
- In bar and restaurant , all of glass , north overlooking the lake , walls are open during a summer
- A smaller number of users during winter makes that only a part of the cloakrooms buildings are equipped with heating system .
- A wall of frosted glass blocks provide soft natural light and eliminate electric lighting during a day .
Generally we sought to make this compleks cheap in operation and with small number of staff , easy to use and failure-free .

We removed buildings from the water , but , due to its function, the main beach building for emergency services and a water sport equipment rental is located on the lake. Its slender structure, which complements the viewing axis, is extended by two-level piers ,. The upper one is a big observation deck , ideal for organizing public events and watching lake during sports competitions and the lower pier have the space with bays for emergency services units. . At this level, there is also a patent slip for floating the units directly from the building.
To visually reduce the size of the extensive store building and to display the water equipment stationed on the lake, the store is fully glazed what makes easier to find the store and identify its function.
On the floors above, the most of which is also glazed, there are observation and training facilities for lake security and safety staff.

The city truly opened up to the lake and its functioning changed significantly. During the short time the beach has become a trademark of the city and I believe that the citizens are proud of this place and simply cherish it.  Suddenly , nearly all of the city's sport, leisure and cultural life has moved there . It is where the Olsztyn Green Festival came to be. This year, the beach has hosted the Beach Volleyball World Championship, as well as numerous marathons, sailing races and aquatic equipment fairs. It has even been the site of various events , even such unusual for the place, as car shows, food festivals or concerts of the Olsztyn philharmonics .
The lakes as everyday gathering place , regardless of the weather , is open for all age groups year-round. .
Opening the city to the lakes for me also means providing locals and tourists alike with free access to most of the infrastructure located here. Almost half a milion people benefited from infrastructure during last summer .
Most importantly this opening has changed the way of life of many locals. Plenty of people started swimming, running and exercising outdoors.  As we celebrate the success, we also see the necessity to continue the process and revitalise more of the city's water bodies by rebuilding the canals and developing the infrastructure to make the functional program even more diverse. Developing the shores of one lake, even the biggest, is one thing , but turning all of them into an interconnected complex to make Olsztyn into the true Capital of the Land of a Thousand Lakes is a whole different story.

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Year Round Sports and Recreation Center

Olsztyn, Poland

Year Round Sports and Recreation Center

Olsztyn, Poland

Product Spec Sheet

Collaborating Firms

Team