Split, Croatia _ Gripe Sport Stadium
Architect: Slavko Rozić and Živorad Janković
Date: 1979-80

To many the city of Split is known for its fragmented remains of what once was Diocletian’s Palace (approx. 300AD), so it was with little surprise that on a sunny Dalmatian day in July the city bustles with tourists. A few minutes walk northeast of the old city walls, in a fairly busy intersection surrounded by neighborhood dwellings, lies the large sport complex Gripe - built for the 1979 Mediterranean Games.

I approached the large winding staircase leading to the main building with intrigue. I’m not sure if I was first blinded by the blazing white plaster and tile or the excessive signage or it could just be the scale - but whatever it was, this complex felt a little alien and I liked it. It feels like a strange foreign object perched atop a hill with accordion type arms laid out on the sloping terrain forming strange figural staircases. There is an incredibly large amount of open space with very little shading. I had trouble finding the main entrance.

After making my way around I realized that the complex is broken down into multiple entrances created to efficiently bring crowds in-and-out, while also connecting them with various parts of the surrounding - main connections are made via bridges, ramps and staircases. The interior of the complex houses two large indoor gymnasiums, both expressed on the outside by the sloping bends of the large ribbon roof.


View towards Complex from inside of the Walls of Diocletian’s Palace


View towards the Complex from Street


Staircase towards Complex Level


Complex


Close up view of Complex


Close up view of Complex


Parking Ramp for underground Complex Parking


Tile Roof Detail


Interior Stadium


Interior Stadium


Interior Stadium Ceiling Detail