area 116 | Norway

architect: b+r / Broegger & Reine

location: Baerum

year: 2006

Arena Bekkestua is a multi-purpose culture facility for young people at Nadderud sports centre outside Oslo, Norway. The facilities consist of approximately 1000m2 interior and 3000m2 outdoor activity areas. Since its opening in autumn 2006 it has provided a venue for skating, BMX, inline, new circus, dance, concerts and fashion shows etc. On an average the building has 300 daily users. The outdoor area consists of a central activity area bordered by a concrete skate-, BMX-, and inline-park and is surrounded by earth mounds for spectator, picnic and sunbathing activities. The mounds are also protecting the neighbouring residential area from wheel-noise. The building consists of two main elements. A hall clad with polycarbonate channel elements and a more elaborate volume inserted within it. The hall is only heated to 8º C and only needs heating on particularly cold cloudy winter days. The inserted volume is heated to a comfort temperature of 20º C.
Youth culture is continuously changing. To provide for this fluid culture the facilities need to provide for existing, as well as adapt to unknown, activities. Hence rather than to tailor areas for specific functions a set of spaces with different qualities are provided, a sort of passive flexibility. This ranges from the main space in the hall with its high 10m high ceiling and concrete floor to smaller spaces with shock absorbing floors or technical (service) floors. Interfaces are established to accommodate the often interrelated programs of youth culture. The spaces are connected through openings or large windows so different activities can expose themselves towards one another. Three 9 meter wide doors in the hall connect indoor and outdoor areas. Glass and polycarbonate surfaces provide different ways of exposure.