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Best in global sports architecture recognised at 2023 IAKS Awards

Best in global sports architecture recognised at 2023 IAKS Awards
October 27, 2023

The best in sustainable, accessible and innovative sports and leisure facilities have been recognised this week at the 2023 International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) awards.

Presented at a festive gala dinner in the German city of Cologne on Tuesday during the FSB Trade Fair in the presence of distinguished personalities from architecture, management and sport, 11 projects in five categories were the recipients of IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize.

Two student projects representing the future of sports architecture were also recognised for their originality and inventiveness while two Public Choice Awards were presented for the first time.

With the Awards’ jury having considered 88 competition entries from 22 different countries, it was noted that this year almost half of the award-winning projects were associated with the theme of ‘water’ in any aggregate state, be it as a sports space as such or due to its topographical location.

The night saw Canada lead in terms of the number of award winners with a total of six award-winning sports and recreation facilities with projects including community centres, an ice rink, an urban park and a rowing centre.

Canadian architects MJMA are being commended in two categories for projects in their home country, namely for the Churchill Meadows Community Centre and, in cooperation with Raimondo + Associates Architects, for the Neil Campbell Rowing Centre.

This year, the jury selected many inspiring projects that generate value for local communities - an important issue in the world of sport that also reflects the theme of this week’s IAKS Congress: ‘Building resilient communities through sports and leisure facilities’.

This year's IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize has dispensed with the former gold, silver and bronze award categories presented in previous editions.

Winners of the 2023 IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize are:

Community outdoor grounds and public areas
• SFU Stadium, Burnaby, Canada

Architect: Perkins and Will
Operator: Simon Fraser University

• Skanderborg City Baths, Skanderborg, Denmark
Architect: Spektrum Arkitekter
Operator: Skanderborg Kommunes Biblioteker

• Rainbow Park, Vancouver, Canada
Architect: DIALOG
Operator: Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation

Indoor facilities for sports, leisure and recreation
• Churchill Meadows Community Centre, Mississauga, Canada

Architect: MJMA Architecture & Design
Operator: City of Mississauga

• Ravelin Sports Centre, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Architect: FaulknerBrowns Architects
Operator: University of Portsmouth

• Centre De Glaces Intact Assurance, Québec, Canada
Architect: Lemay
Operator: Corporation de gestion du Centre de Glaces de Québec

Pools, spas and wellness facilities
• Silvretta Therme, Ischgl, Austria

Architect: KRIEGER Architekten | Ingenieure with Wimreiter & Partner
Operator: Silvrettaseilbahn

• Maple Ridge Leisure Centre Expansion, Maple Ridge, Canada
Architect: SHAPE Architecture

Operator: City of Maple Ridge

Specialised facilities for sports, leisure and recreation
• Maritime Center, Esbjerg, Denmark

Architect: Werk Arkitekter with Snøhetta Arkitektur
Operator: Esbjerg Municipality

• Neil Campbell Rowing Centre, St. Catharines, Canada
Architect: MJMA Architecture & Design with Raimondo + Associates Architects
Operator: Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation

Major outdoor stadiums
• Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan

Architect: TAISEI DESIGN Planners Architects & Engineers with AZUSA SEKKEI and with Kengo Kuma & Associates
Operator: Japan Sport Council

International interest in the young talent architecture award
In addition, the IOC, IPC and IAKS are presenting the Architecture and Design Award for students and young professionals, recognising innovative designs and strategies for sports and leisure facilities.

A total of 13 interesting designs and concepts were submitted from all over the world, including China, Germany, Norway and Poland.

The jury presented two awards to projects in Canada and Ireland.

2023 IOC IPC IAKS Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals winners:

• The Entwine, Canada
Design: Kaamil Allah Baksh

• Between Borders, Ireland
Design: Cian O’Mahony

Public Choice Award enjoys great response
For the first time in the history of the IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize, a Public Choice Award was presented. Both completed projects - ranging from small trend sports facilities to large
stadiums, indoors, outdoors and in the water - as well as newcomer designs were up for selection.

The professional public had the chance to nominate a top candidate in each of the categories by 30th September 2023.

Public Choice Award of the 2023 IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize for sustainable, accessible and innovative sports and leisure facilities winner:

• Quintal do Ban, Campinas, Brazil
Architect: Effect Arquitetura & VMOffice
Operator: Ancar Ivanhoe - Shopping Parque das Bandeiras

Public Choice Award of the 2023 IOC IPC IAKS Architecture and Design Award for Students and Young Professionals winner:

• Rio Rimac Sports & Recreation Center, Peru
Design: Carlos Amed Carrillo Aguilar and Jorge Luis Castillo Tomás.

Images: IOC IPC IAKS Architecture Prize winners pictured at Tuesday night's ceremony (top, credit: Koelnmesse/Uwe Weiser), Silvretta Therme, Austria (middle) and the Japan National Stadium (below, credit: Japan Sport Council).

Related Articles

20th October 2023 - FSB to explore sustainability in sports facility and playground construction

20th September 2023 - IAKS Congress to chart path to building resilient communities through sports facilities

19th September 2023 - FSB 2023 to present public space, recreation and sport industry’s major international trade fair

26th July 2023 - FSB 2023 trade fair to focus on sustainability in global sport and recreation

14th July 2023 - IAKS Australia and New Zealand to stage architects forum at National Sports Convention

10th June 2023 - IAKS ANZ to showcase member benefits at National Sports and Physical Activity Convention

29th May 2023 - Australian and New Zealand IAKS members speak at industry conferences

27th January 2023 - IOC, IPC and IAKS launch 2023 international architectural awards

5th July 2022 - Melbourne to host IAKS Southern Hemisphere Congress in 2024

20th May 2022 - National Sports Convention agrees partnership with IAKS - the International Association for Sports and Leisure

14th January 2022 - IAKS and FIBA agree collaboration to help better basketball facilities around the globe

14th November 2021 - IAKS releases project case studies from aquatic centres around the world

11th November 2021 - Australian projects recognised at 2021 IOC, IPC and IAKS international sport architecture awards

9th November 2021 - Asian architects and projects get recognition in 2021 IOC, IPC and IAKS Architecture and Design Awards

30th January 2021 - IOC, IPC and IAKS launch 2021 international architectural awards

24th April 2020 - Otium Planning Group’s Yvette Audet appointed IAKS Ambassador for Australasia

26th March 2020 - Japan National Stadium wins Jury prize at Stadium of the Year Awards

7th February 2020 - IAKS Japan welcomes knowledge exchange on sports facilities

21st November 2019 - IAKS document charts future global trends for public pools

7th November 2019 - Silver Awards for Doha’s Oxygen Park and Perth’s Optus Stadium at 2019 IOC, IPC and IAKS architecture Awards

24th August 2017 - International experts in design, construction and operation to address 25th IAKS Congress

14th December 2015 - Japan Sport Council reveals new Tokyo Olympic Stadium designs

21st October 2015 - Sports facility industry experts to discuss future global trends at IAKS Congress


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