Refined and robust architecture

Ørestad ice skating rink is located in the rapidly growing Arena neighbourhood of Copenhagen, where many sports now have access to a local ice rink. The building is very open and inviting, and the meeting between glass and wood reflects the contrast between a cold, crystalline ice rink and a warm building!

The ice rink is constructed from robust materials that so often characterise such venues, but behind the concrete, wood and glass, a lot of thought has gone into the choice of materials and finishes. The City of Copenhagen has invested additional funds to ensure the building is as eco-friendly as possible, both in its construction and operation. The focus has been on the architecture and the overall economy, and here one of the key factors is the ability of the materials to retain and release heat, cold and humidity.

Concrete, wood and glass have been employed very consciously to minimise the building’s environmental impact and economic resources, and this is also elegantly expressed in the materials’ aesthetic constellation. “The architectural concept is based on an interpretation of the building’s cold ice rink and the warm club facilities and public areas. The materials and design have been carefully selected and detailed to emphasise the concept, thus ensuring a sense of quality and reinforcing the building’s role as a venue for sport and fun,” says Thomas Nørgaard, partner and architect at Christensen & Co.

Multifunctional ceiling

The ceilings in the heated part of the ice rink were chosen to ensure a natural surface with a warm glow. Troldtekt in the colour natural wood was therefore the obvious choice, as it could ensure good acoustics at the same time.

The ceiling provides a calm and uniform surface with integrated lighting. From both an environmental point of view and the facilities it offers, the ice rink is second to none, and the interplay between functionality and materials has resulted in simple and direct architecture that unpretentiously gives you a warm welcome to the coldest sport in the city.

“We have created an ice rink in collaboration with users that does not hide away the sport – but opens out towards the city – with a welcoming environment and simple, robust and straightforward architecture,” says Thomas Nørgaard, one of the architects on the project.