Astana University of Sports

Campus facilities consist of modules and branches of education, as big “campuses” develop in time. In a city like Astana, the vision for the project is to create a new sports university complex from scratch, targeting a holistic, all-inclusive space of multiple functions, under a sole roof; a campus that answers every demand of the user, which is “the student”. Astana is a capital with difficult summer – winter conditions, therefore the design approach brings together all of the mentioned “lifestyle” in the campus under one backbone “gallery” structure. Started construction earlier and left unfinished, the new design considers benefiting the existing construction for budgetary, and production purposes. The task is to unify the campus into “one” including the transformation of existing buildings. “unifying grid” approach is introduced at this point, as the whole complex, landscape, rooftops, and interior modules, atriums derive from this grid, referencing and reaching out the very different functions of the buildings, correspondingly defining easy access and clear directions. Closed sport venues, open tracks and fields, training areas for each sport, research facilities, classrooms and an auditorium for theoretical education and events, plus the social facilities come together around a massive “backbone” gallery, connecting and unifying and each and every need of a user inside. Landscaping and hardscaping elements are designed to generate the feel of an “urban park under one roof”. Yet it is a closed building, the main gallery and atriums are “semi-interior” spaces with maximum controlled daylight and trees to rest under their shadow finding the balance between protection and freedom. Wooden deck steps and seating areas connect the main gallery with the atriums, and generates even more space to meet and share. The whole idea revolves around “freshness” and “activity” as a sports university, besides the pertinent functions, to gain a further visual impression for this “concept of dynamism”, the red hanging running track, brings the energy and playfulness to the main gallery, imagining arts and sports together. The red track becomes a domineering conceptual yet basically functional form.