by Steph Eaves | 08 Nov 2017

The winners of this year's international architectural awards for sports and leisure facilities have been announced at a ceremony during the 25th IAKS Congress.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) presented the prizes last night (7 November) at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.

The IOC/IAKS Award was created to celebrate exemplary buildings and complexes that integrate sensible sustainability and legacy considerations, strong functional planning and exceptional architectural design. More than 70 projects were submitted to the judging panel.

Among the winners of the IOC IAKS Gold Award was the Kohlelager Landau recreational facility in Germany, by A24 Landschaft Landscape Architecture. The project involved the redevelopment the site of a former barracks and coal yard, creating a diverse facility for all age groups.

“The original idea was to bring sports to the people," said Steffan Robel, managing director of A24 Landschaft. "People are becoming less and less active, the population is ageing and the sports sector is changing. People don’t want to be tied to training rules, they want to access sports when and how they want.

“We wanted to create a transition from the city into nature so we tried to integrate nature into the functional areas. For instance, the playground equipment is inspired by the geological characteristics of the region.”

One of the Silver Award winners was Branksome Hall Athletics and Wellness Center in Toronto, by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects (MJMA). Built within a ravine, the project was commended for its clever use of space, its openness and connectivity.

“We really tried to make it a social centre," said Viktors Jaunkalns, founder and owner of MJMA. "We used a lot of glass to allow transparency between areas, and to let in lots of natural light.”

Meanwhile, British practice FaulknerBrowns were recognised for two separate UK projects – the Derby Arena velodrome and sports complex and the Hebburn Central leisure centre.

The full list of winners of the IOC/IPC/IAKS architecture prizes is:

IOC IAKS Award Gold

• Aquatic Center 'Aquamotion' in Courchevel, France

Architects: Auer+Weber Assoziierte

• Kohlelager Landau Recreational facility in Landau in der Pfalz, Germany

Architects: A24 Landschaft Landschaftsarchitektur, swillus architekten

• Deodoro Olympic Canoe Slalom Whitewater Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Architects: Vigliecca & Associados, Whitewater Parks International

• Singapore National Stadium and Sports Hub in Singapore, Singapore

Architects: Arup Associates

IOC IAKS Award Silver and IPC IAKS Distinction

• Youth Arena Deodoro Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Architects: Vigliecca & Associados

• Arena do Futuro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Architects: Lopes, Santos & Ferreira Gomes Arquitetos, Oficina AO/SC, Paulo Casé Arquitetura, AndArchitects

IOC IAKS Award Silver

• Löyly Sauna Building in Helsinki, Finland

Architects: Avanto Architects

• Ski Jump Centre Montafon Nordic in Tschagguns, Austria

Architects: mitiska wäger architekten

• Water Polo Venue in London, United Kingdom

Architects: David Morley Architects

• TD Place at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa, Canada

Architects: CannonDesign

• Branksome Hall Athletics & Wellness Center in Toronto, Canada

Architects: MJMA

IOC IAKS Award Bronze and IPC IAKS Distinction

• Derby Arena in Derby, United Kingdom

Architects: FaulknerBrowns Architects

• Musholm Recreational Centre in Korsør, Denmark

Architects: AART architects

IOC IAKS Award Bronze

• Climbing Centre Bruneck in Bruneck, Italy

Architects: Stifter + Bachmann

• Activity Landscape Harboøre in Harboøre, Denmark

Architects: JAJA Architects

• Landskate Parks in Barcelona, Spain

Architects: SCOB Arquitectura i Paisatge

IPC IAKS Distinction

• Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre in Surrey, Canada

Architects: HCMA Architecture + Design

• Hebburn Central, United Kingdom

Architects: FaulknerBrowns Architects

IOC IAKS Special Price

• SOS Childrens' Village Skatepark in Bethlehem, Palestine

Architects: Betonlandschaften/maierlandschaftsarchitektur

2017 IOC IPC IAKS Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals

• Gold: Saratov Velodrome design study by Anastasiia Tcyganova from Saratov, Russia

• Silver: Cinqueanelli: Tokyo Olympic Stadium design study by Gildo Incitti from Arnara, Italy

• Bronze: Montesanto Upside Down design study by Nathalie Esposito and Manuel Foresta from Naples resp. Salerno, Italy

IAKS  IPC  IOC  International Olympic Committee  International Paralympic Committee  IAKS Congress  Architecture 

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The winners of this year's international architectural awards for sports and leisure facilities have been announced at a ceremony during the 25th IAKS Congress. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) presented the prizes last night (7 November) at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. The IOC/IAKS Award was created to celebrate exemplary buildings and complexes that integrate sensible sustainability

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