Sports Island

An Island built on reclaimed land proposed for Osaka Bay. Accessed by a bridge it was designed on a recreational theme intended to include Indoor and outdoor sports facilities, hotels, a marina, and various convention facilities for office functions. The lots were organized on properties arranged on one of 2 grids with most of the buildings following the regular pattern. 3 major nodal points were organized around elliptical plazas, which acted as significant meeting places for people who could arrange rendezvous. The plazas shared their functions with a baseball stadium, restaurant, and high-rise hotel, as is often the case with these public places. Often in the busy city of Osaka, people gather at specific points of reference in the city before arranging to go out for the evening. The elliptical plazas were designed with this activity in mind and maintained their uniqueness to emphasize the special quality of the meeting places.

Sports World

Sports World Twin Pad & Multi-purpose Facility
Kitchener
New Construction Assembly ($8 million)
Feb.2004 – Jan. 2005
Contact: Joe Wood, Sports World (416) 347-1510

Sports World has been serving the Kitchener area with sporting and entertainment venues for many years. The Sports World Twin Pad was a recent addition to the complex offering much needed ice time to the city of Kitchener. This facility is intended to offer the community a hockey venue but also - as a multipurpose facility - to offer the city a place for events like conventions and concerts to take place. The focus was to design a building that would host public functions as a large convention/event space. Designed to withstand the daily use of a hockey facility, the design of public areas (like especially the lobby) were intended to be a graceful presentation to the public vision.

The program was developed together with the client as the design progressed, to contain meeting spaces and the future convention hall. The original concept was also further developed after meeting with the city of Kitchener hockey leagues, the barrier-free committee and the public. Much of what the citizens and community members offered as suggestions and wishes were incorporated into the design of what was to be a truly community building.