NATIONAL SPORTS CENTER

Abstract

The proposition of this project is to create an advanced training facility by exploring new sports complex typologies to spread the sporting culture in the city and initiate the way for developing sports infrastructure that aids overall development of sports of the country. The project of this scale would serve as an urban initiative for an inclusive approach towards developing the quality of sports infrastructure and education in the city. The site for the project is chosen at Mulpani, outskirts of the core area, the site possess the already built cricket stadium and cricket training ground under Nepal Cricket Association. Hence the aim was to extend the infrastructure for other sports as well. As there is no standard infrastructure for Hand based games like Handball, Basketball, volleyball (I.e., National game) in the country, the theme of this national sports center is to accommodate academy as well as hosting venue for the above-mentioned games. The National sports center is designed to accommodate a well facilitated training center and a venue with a 3000-capacity handball stadium with a multi-purpose approach. The academy facilitates multi-Sports facilities and their training followed by a stadium, accommodation unit, fitness center, and entertainment zone and seminar hall. All these activities are laid out in a radial manner in reference to the existing cricket training ground, keeping the orientation of the sports grounds and courts in response to the sun path i.e., tilted 15 degrees North-South. The radial form, developed in an organic manner allows the spaces to open inwards as well as outwards creating break-out areas and a series of interactive spaces. The fluidity of the form seen externally is carried through the axial approach with reference to the circular ground allowing the spaces to flow into each other seamlessly while each space is yet defined within. The orientation of these spaces shields them from the harsh sun yet giving a good avenue to view sports activities. The built-form emerges out from the existing, encapsulating the sports activities, creating a unique dynamic variation in the built form, over the entire site. The cutouts given on the roof are creatively done which act like skylights to lit up the internal spaces. This sports center project is expected to be a major initiative for development of sports architecture for the city and develop Mulpani as the sporting center accommodating both stadium and academy complex. The current trends and practices from around the world suggest that a holistic approach is necessary to address the concern of creating an urban sporting culture hence an architectural intervention is integrated with different possible solution which includes everything from physical upgradation of sporting infrastructure, inclusively of sporting facilities and maximum utilization of area to provide other supporting facilities.