Zamet Centre in Rijeka, Croatia

August 13, 2010 Category: Public Buildings, Sports

Located in Rijeka, Croatia, Zamet Centre was designed by 3LHD, Situated in Rijeka’s quarter Zamet, the new 16,830 sq m Zamet Centre hosts various facilities, inscluding a sports hall with 2,380 seats, local community office, city library, 13 commercial and service facilities and a garage with 250 parking spaces.

One third of the sports hall’s volume is cut in the ground, and other public facilities and services fully fit into the surroundings. The main architectural element of the Zamet centre are ‘ribbons’ stretching in a north-south direction, functioning both as an architectural design element of the object and as a zoning element. The latter forms a public square and a link between the park on the north and school and B. Vidas street on the south.

The ribbon-like stripes were inspired by ‘groma?a’; a type of rock specific to Rijeka; which the Centre artificially reinterprets through colour and shape. The stripes are covered with 51,000 ceramic tiles designed by 3LHD and manufactured specially for the Centre. Steel girders of 55 m span and different heights enable natural light to illuminate the sports hall.

The hall has been designed according to latest world sports standards for major international sports competitions. The concept of the hall is based on flexibility of space, while the field itself measures 46 x 44 m, enough for two handball courts. The hall contains all the supporting facilities for professional training and competition, in addition to an auditorium which, designed using a system of telescopic stands, enables the transformation for everyday use as well as for other activities such as concerts, conferences and congresses.

The selected interior materials – wood and acoustic panels – suggests the feeling that the hall is a large living room for athletes. The main access to the hall and other facilities is located west of the hall from the public square and from the underground garage.

Zamet Centre Design by 3LHD