Marina Miceli
Europe Press Office,London
A consortium comprising 3XN, HKS architects, Arup, ME Engineers and Planit has won the design competition to build the new Copenhagen Arena.
The multi-purpose arena is designed to create a vibrant urban environment in the Ørestad district of the city and will be able to accommodate audiences of up to 15,000 people by the time it opens toward the end of 2015.
Arup will be responsible for several elements of the schemes including structural and civil engineering, as well as specialist disciplines.
“Copenhagen has set out to create one of the best urban environments to be found anywhere in the world and the Arena will go a long way toward helping the city achieve that ambition.
+ Matthew Lovell, Arup Director
“Our ambition was to create an arena that, besides hosting a range of amazing sporting and musical events, would also be a catalyst for various local activities for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. Therefore, the areas surrounding the arena are designed to be used for recreational purposes, while the public foyer can easily host markets or exhibitions. In this way, the arena is also a cultural centre."
+ Kim Herforth Nielsen, Partner and Creative Director of 3XN Architects
The flexible design of the Copenhagen Arena means that it will be able to accommodate a wide range of events from rock concerts and shows through sports ranging from handball to ice hockey.
Construction is scheduled to start in the spring of 2013.