The Lobby of a Sports Complex
Our client, a prominent Russian company, approached us via St. Petersburg’s largest design institute with an invitation to participate in a design competition. They confessed that they were previously unfamiliar with our work. However, given that the competition included international studios from England, Germany, and the United States, they were curious to see what a Japanese architect could bring to the table. The task was to design the lobby interior for a sports center with an ice rink.
The existing building had a unique triangular layout with levels transitioning up and down from the main hall. Additionally, structurally essential columns were scattered throughout the lobby, visually breaking up the space and detracting from its overall volume. The interior needed to be presentable and align with the status of its visitors, all while staying within the budget constraints typical for public spaces.
The Japanese architect proposed a concept grounded in the unity of movement and stillness. From physics, we know that movement begins from a state of rest. In professional sports, rest and recovery are as crucial as the training itself; after achieving a result, time must be taken for contemplation to avoid becoming caught in a relentless pursuit of progress. This tranquility was reflected in a classic yet monochromatic interior design, allowing visitors to relax and focus on their thoughts and emotions.
Movement was brought to life through a kinetic sculpture placed in the lobby’s central atrium. This movable installation drew inspiration from a similar piece at the BMW Museum in Munich. It featured silver balls suspended from the ceiling on cables, capable of moving vertically with adjustable speed and sequence. The sculpture could transform its appearance to mimic the soothing flow of water during regular times or the excitement of a sports game on competition days. We also proposed utilizing modern media technologies to enhance the experience: LED strips along the inner side of the atrium could change color and pattern during matches, or projectors could display the game or other visual sequences on the lobby walls and floor.
Despite the stringent time constraints, the concept was well-received by the client and became the foundation for our next project—a separate zone within the same sports complex.