The premier indoor venue for sports and entertainment in Hong Kong

Designed for maximum flexibility

The 80m x 100m main arena features a long-span steel truss roof, designed for maximum flexibility. It can host a wide variety of sports including badminton, basketball, futsal, gymnastics, handball, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. Its pillar-free design ensures unobstructed views from every vantage point.

With floor surface overlays and up to 80% of seating retractable or removable, the venue can be easily transformed for different events, from large-scale sports tournaments to community gatherings. 

Totally integrated

The truss roof structure is engineered to integrate seamlessly with building services. It is also optimised for rigging loads, accommodating equipment such as speakers, lights, microphones, and LED screens for various stage set-ups. This integration facilitates high clear headroom, suitable for diverse purposes.

Designing the building services to meet the specific needs of various sports presented a significant challenge. For example, badminton imposes stringent air velocity requirements. To address this, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was conducted to ensure precise control of mechanical flow speed and direction, meeting international badminton standards. Air inlets and outlets were strategically located to accommodate various sports modes and configurations of retractable seating, thus ensuring optimal air circulation and comfort for athletes and spectators alike regardless of the event.

The use of OpenBIM for data exchange enhanced system design and seamless collaboration among different disciplines, ensuring precise and integrated project outcomes.

Additionally, our fire engineering approach has relaxed the standard requirements for means of escape and allowed for larger compartment sizes, further enhancing the venue’s flexibility and broadening its range of potential uses.

Sustainability at its core

The arena is a leader in sustainable design, achieving Provisional Platinum rating under the BEAM Plus New Buildings and Gold Pre-certification under LEED for Building Design and Construction.

Designed with a focus on energy efficiency, the arena uses the district cooling system at the Kai Tak Development, which reduces its overall energy consumption by up to 20%. Moreover, over 10% of the roof areas are covered with solar panels to generate renewable energy for hot water and electricity. This initiative is expected to cut the building’s energy usage by at least 1% annually, equivalent to reducing carbon emissions by about 1,000 metric tons each year or planting more than 20,000 mature trees in the community.

To further enhance energy efficiency, the arena uses an intelligent building management system and reduces reliance on artificial lighting by implementing solar light tubes in indoor and semi-open areas, thereby maximising natural daylight.

One lighting system fits all

The lighting requirements vary significantly for different events, especially for broadcast sports events where it is crucial that both players and the ball are clearly visible to both live audiences and cameras regardless of where they are. To minimise set-up time between events, the lighting system is designed to cater for different events without adjustments. The lighting is pre-programmed for different sports, allowing operators to easily switch to the appropriate lighting mode as needed.

Creating the right atmosphere

The acoustics of the arena are meticulously engineered to suit a variety of events. Due to extensive ductwork, MEP equipment and complex structures like gantries and tension wired grids across the ceiling space for acoustic treatments is limited. To address this, we used advanced 3D computer noise modelling to optimise the acoustics, balancing design, performance and cost.

The arena is designed to maintain a low background noise level, allowing audiences to enjoy events without disturbance. This is achieved by isolating the plant rooms, where all the MEP equipment is housed, ensuring that operational noise does not disrupt the events. These measures enable the venue to provide a quality auditory experience that enhances the enjoyment of every event.

Managing the mix of façade systems

The multi-functional venue features a diverse array of façade systems, each contributing to its unique architectural appeal. Our façade team skillfully managed them all, developing key details where these systems interface with each other.

The major challenge was coordinating these different systems to meet stringent performance standards while maintaining aesthetic integrity. The success has brought the dynamic and visually striking design of the venue to life, ensuring functionality without compromising on style.

Seamless parking experience

Carpark users can experience optimal convenience with features designed to streamline the parking process, thanks to our ICT systems designers. Intelligent parking guidance systems minimise the time spent searching for vacant spaces, while car finding kiosks allow users to locate their vehicles by entering their license number. Real-time parking information is accessible through the KTSP mobile app.

Iconic ETFE canopy

Our engineers also played a key role in creating the iconic ETFE canopy structure at Kai Tak Sports Avenue, the largest in Hong Kong spanning approximately 6,800m² . The triangular ETFE cushions span up to 6m, with the upper foil fritted with 4mm silver dots for 65% coverage, providing diffused natural light. The lightweight ETFE foil reduces the dead load on the supporting structure, leading to substantial cost savings since ETFE is just 1% the weight of glass.

Due to its elevated position above the avenue, an open head sprinkler system was implemented to ensure fire safety while maintaining its aesthetic and functional integrity. This system, activated rapidly by flame detectors, responds much faster than typical sprinkler systems, offering enhanced protection for this special canopy.