Sports Hall De Warande

The Wide Panel 300C Exterior is used in this project.

More information about Wide Panel 300C Exterior is on the Hunter Douglas website. (see link below)

The master plan for De Warande initially focused on the experience of the area as a park. Through the years, the park aspect of the area was gradually lost by more and more functional additions. The De Warande master plan creates a spatial framework for the multitude of sports and recreational activities. It is divided into two components: the park, with several recreational functions on walking routes; and a strip with sports functions.

Making De Warande back into a park involves removal of all fencing. Only the sunbathing lawn by the paid-entry outdoor pool is fenced off. New fencing is camouflaged by hedges and sunk into the landscape to preserve lines of sight through the park. Outside the summer season, the gates in the hedge are open to make the entire park accessible to athletes and recreational users.

A network of paths and lines of sight creates a sense of space, cohesion and social safety. Robust tree clusters and special solitary trees are placed to support the sight lines and guide curves in paths. The old tree-lined avenue will be restored to its former glory to connect De Warande and its old manor house with the city centre once again.

The new sports hall is designed as a covered section of the park, with sight lines and portals offering views of various activities and visitors inside and outside the building. The centrally situated dining area can be seen from all sides, and diners have views of the entire park. It is a full-featured and attractive sports environment, with many offerings and modern facilities. The centrally located sports hall can be seen from the forecourt through the transparent entry hall. The building functions as a billboard for sports and play.

Sustainability and energy are integral components of the master plan. The construction of the new sports hall and phase 1 of the park lays the foundation for a smart grid. A combined heat and power plant is being built to serve the heating needs for the indoor and outdoor pools and to supply De Warande with electricity. The sports hall is equipped with an air/water heat pump and a solar boiler for the production of hot tap water. The toilets are flushed with rainwater.

The De Warande master plan provides a dynamic and cohesive framework for a multiplicity of activities with sufficient flexibility to respond to future changes and developments. The plan focuses above all on experiencing the area as a park. A distinction has been made between two areas: a park with recreational functions along routes, and a strip with a high density of sports and relaxation functions. A large part of De Warande was behind fencing of all shapes and sizes. For much of the year a large part of De Warande is not accessible to the public. The superfl uous fences have been removed to turn De Warande back into a park.

By fencing only the lawn around the outdoor swimming pool, the park will remain open in summer to other visitors. Outside the outdoor swimming pool season, large gates in the hedge will be open to make the entire area accessible to sports enthusiasts and recreationists. The landmarks will be the impressive villa, the new sports hall, robust groups of trees and exceptional solitary spots set against a wooded background. The relationship between the different activities and the park is extremely important. Lines of sight and recreational routes through the existing landscape and architectural elements will reinforce the cohesion in the park. The trees have been positioned in a way that allows them to support the lines of sight and follow the curves in paths. This will ensure that besides its spatiality the park will also be socially safe.

The sports hall has been designed as a covered part of the park, with lines of sight to and views of the different spaces, activities and visitors inside and outside the building. The centrally located catering area is visible from all sides and offers a panorama across the whole park. The building is a complete an attractive sports environment with numerous possibilities and modern facilities. The transparent entrance hall makes the gymnasium visible from the front square. The building acts like a sign for sports and games.

Sustainability and energy are integral parts of the master plan. Construction of the new sports hall and phase 1 of the park will lay the foundations for a smart grid. A combined heat and power plant has been installed to meet the heating requirements of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The plant will further provide some of the electricity needed for the swimming pool and other functions on the domain.

As a general building contractor, STRABAG Belgium nv realized the brand new sports hall “De Warande” in Wetteren. The project includes the turn-key completion with parking and landscaping works. Furthermore, the complex houses 3 sports fields, 8 dressing rooms with sanitary fittings, a dance hall and a large cafeteria. The building has a volume of 26.500 m3 and a total project area of 2.650 m2. A combined heat and power installation is connected with the swimming pools, a perfect exemple of the sustainable techniques that were used in this project. Other exemples are a heat pump (air/water) and a sun boiler for the production of sanity warm water. The rainwater will be re-used for the sanitary fittings.