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Rehabilitation of the Sports Palace, Oviedo (Spain)
Reference details
- Location Oviedo, Spain
- Architects Antonio Desmonts Sierra, Alfredo Antuña Presa, Daniel Villanueva Zarraolandía, Bienvenido Turrado Lamuño
- Technique(s) VMZINC Standing seam
- Aspect(s) QUARTZ-ZINC
- Application Type Roofing
- Contractor(s) CONSTRUCTORA SANJOSE, S.A.
- Copyright Álex Fernández Photography
Like other regions of Europe, the province of the Asturias experienced a fervour for modern architecture in the 1960s, of which the Oviedo Sports Palace is undoubtedly the most striking testament. Ildefonso Sánchez del Río, a municipal engineer responsible for several works renowned for their reinforced concrete structures, here revisited the vaulted structures he had already tested on the Oviedo reservoir.
At the Sports Palace, he applied this construction system on a scale he had never previously attempted: creating a column-free space more than 90 metres wide, with a clear height reaching 19 metres at its highest point, and roofing consisting of a series of twelve arches with a parabolic cross-section.
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The eight arches that are raised in the central section create an opening allowing natural light to enter from two sides of the hall. The arches are composed of prefabricated concrete elements and ceramic components integrated into the structure to make it lighter, an original material combination that was particularly close to the engineer’s heart, to the extent that in 1942 he opened his own terracotta factory to develop his patents.
Nearly half a century after its completion, a comprehensive refurbishment of the complex had become necessary for a number of reasons. The project involves both the conversion and extension of the building, notably increasing its capacity to 5,400 seats, made possible by the reconfiguration and by removing part of the stands. It also involves a complete renewal of the building envelope to ensure compliance with thermal and environmental standards, as well as a redesign of its surroundings and a re-evaluation of its place within the urban fabric.
The Architects Antonio Desmonts, Alfredo Antuña, Daniel Villanueva and Bienvenido Turrado, opted for a QUARTZ-ZINC® roof covering, in accordance with Ildefonso Sanchez del Río’s original design, who had shown a keen interest in metal roofing but had ultimately been unable to implement it.
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Both flexible and lightweight, zinc follows the double curvature of the arches of the roof covering without placing excessive additional loads on the structure, while withstanding the rigours of the climate, made corrosive by sea air carried in from the ocean. The concrete shell of the Sports Palace is armed with a metal shield against the rigours of the climate.
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At the Sports Palace, he applied this construction system on a scale he had never previously attempted: creating a column-free space more than 90 metres wide, with a clear height reaching 19 metres at its highest point, and roofing consisting of a series of twelve arches with a parabolic cross-section.
The eight arches that are raised in the central section create an opening allowing natural light to enter from two sides of the hall. The arches are composed of prefabricated concrete elements and ceramic components integrated into the structure to make it lighter, an original material combination that was particularly close to the engineer’s heart, to the extent that in 1942 he opened his own terracotta factory to develop his patents.
Nearly half a century after its completion, a comprehensive refurbishment of the complex had become necessary for a number of reasons. The project involves both the conversion and extension of the building, notably increasing its capacity to 5,400 seats, made possible by the reconfiguration and by removing part of the stands. It also involves a complete renewal of the building envelope to ensure compliance with thermal and environmental standards, as well as a redesign of its surroundings and a re-evaluation of its place within the urban fabric.The Architects Antonio Desmonts, Alfredo Antuña, Daniel Villanueva and Bienvenido Turrado, opted for a QUARTZ-ZINC® roof covering, in accordance with Ildefonso Sanchez del Río’s original design, who had shown a keen interest in metal roofing but had ultimately been unable to implement it. Both flexible and lightweight, zinc follows the double curvature of the arches of the roof covering without placing excessive additional loads on the structure, while withstanding the rigours of the climate, made corrosive by sea air carried in from the ocean. The concrete shell of the Sports Palace is armed with a metal shield against the rigours of the climate.
