architectural portfolio
olympic tug of war pavillion
Project Brief
As part of the third year BSc. Architecture course at the University of Pretoria, this project required the design of an Olympic facility for the sport of 'Tug of War'. In addition, the project had to cater for reuse after the event. The site was to be an existing abondoned cricket ground in central Pretoria.
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Concept
Since Tug of War is not a popular sport with a large following and the rules of the game could not be changed, I set out to change the way in which the sport was presented to make it exciting and garner a following. Drawing inspiration from 'Tron' movies which command a cult following for their futuristic cyberspace aesthetic, I created an arena in which phosphorescent coated ropes and suits would transform the event into an otherworldly experience. The building interior, comprised of textured concrete, glass and a range of reflective materials was intended to be dark with and emphasis on lighting to create a sci-fi atmosphere.
To further this idea of entering a different world, the stream on the site was to be transformed into a wetland area completely surrounding the side of the structure from where it is entered. The structure is thus visibly isolated from the outside world by a barrier of water. A ramped entrance in the adjacent park leads visitors down to a tunnel which runs underneath the artificial wetland. The theatrical entrance completes the sensation of being transported into an alternate reality.
A number of balconies could be accessed from the interior to allow visitors to reconnect with the natural world outside so as not to be overwhelmed by the interior.
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In terms of future use, the futuristic design was intended to also function as a gaming arena for glow in the dark paintball, virtual reality rigs and an arcade.
Structure
The structure was conceived as a triacontadigon (32-sided figure), modelled as a radial pattern around a central point. This allows the event arena in the centre to be the focus from everywhere in the structure, while the equal sides allow for prefabricated modular service units to be plugged into the structure. These units could easily be swapped out making the building adaptable and reconfigurable for future use.
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The detailing was done with concrete, steel and glass, requiring mainly moveable steel clipping details allowing the various prefabricated elements to easily be assembled on site.
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Workflow
The building was drawn and modelled using SketchUp and Layout, while it was rendered in Artlantis. The Presentation, diagrams and renders were finished off in Adobe Photoshop.