Behnisch Architekten has recently presented its sustainability-led vision and masterplan for the Olympic Sailing Competitions 2024 in Kiel-Shilksee.
Kiel, 90 kilometres north of Hamburg and one of the major maritime centres of Germany, was recently picked by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) as the sailing venue for Hamburg‘s 2024 Olympics bid over three other contenders. World-renowned advocate of sustainable building design Stefan Behnisch, founding partner of Behnisch Architekten, illustrated the feasibility study at the official conference hosted at Council Hall of Kiel in early September.
The proposal and its vision
Sense of purpose and sustainability are the focus of the masterplan for the Olympic Sailing Competitions 2024 in Kiel. Along with the applicant city of Hamburg the 1972 Olympic Centre Schilksee will be developed for the Olympic Sailing Competitions 2024 to become a more comprehensively vital and diverse centre for maritime sports.
An international reputation as a recognized site for hosting major sailing competitions has already been established due to the high functionality of the existing Olympic Centre. Kiel staged the sailing events of the 1936 Berlin Games and 1972 Olympics in Munich, and is the home of the annual Kiel Week, one of the world‘s largest sailing event.
Improvements to connectivity and better integration with the surrounding context will extend the offer of new attractions to local communities and visitors who will rediscover the Olympic Centre. New building structures will only be implemented where an Olympic legacy use has been proven to be viable. A diverse and vitalized centre for life and maritime sports will emerge.
As a new centre for maritime life the Olympic Boulevard leads from the existing elevated promenade down to the water’s edge. Public access to uses in the ground floor of adjacent new buildings will comprehensively active the harbour.
As a beacon for the German sailing sport the Sailing Campus is slated to become a centre of excellence for professional and amateur communities that will invite the general public to experience the sport of sailing. The building integrates space for training, work, exhibition and recreational purposes in an open and inviting home.
The Hotel is situated at the intersection of the harbour promenade and the new Olympic Boulevard. Hotel accommodation is elevated over a podium level integrating functions with public access. The orientation of the structure at the corner of the Soling Street is optimized to provide views of life in the harbour and to capitalize on the climatic benefits of this location.
Sustainability:
The proposal is for maximum self-sufficiency in terms of the supply and disposal of energy and resources for extensions and new buildings. Optimized for energy performance, utilizing the Baltic Sea as a heat source, and with a closed-loop water circuit the first Olympic Sailing competitions could stand as an exemplar for similar facilities to be built in the future. New buildings will only be constructed if their long term usage after the Olympic Competition can be ensured. Exterior as well as interior spaces will be optimized for their later use and designed for maximum comfort. All buildings will be constructed from materials with high environmental performance.
Source: Behnisch Architekten