Archinect
Santiago Fernandez Bender

Santiago Fernandez Bender

Faro, PT

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Quantum Arena

The Arena is aimed to generate a positive impact through social sustainability, addressed as a commitment with nature and as a way of promoting relationships among individuals, foster environmental awareness and reinforce the association of the project in keeping with natural surroundings.

The project provides the city with an indoor stadium built along with paramount
technology. The seating capacity of the stadium has been thought to hold 15.000
spectators taking into consideration every criterion regarding their safety: such as
evacuation and circulation routes, smoke extractors and signaling and fire extinction equipment.

The Arena is the creation of a place for the world to see, a place that arouses the
interest of artists on making appearances and a place that provides the locals the sense belonging and pride. A major number of international artists will be lured considering they will be granted with the best possible working conditions and the satisfaction of being able to perform successfully.

The Arena shall not work as a sole setting, yet its proximities hold diverse programs that aid the consumers experience the venue in a comprehensive manner. Said core has been surrounded by shops, restaurants, parks, a handicrafts market, open-air auditoriums and public restrooms, in order to be able to offer a quality show in accordance with the venue sustaining the leading events. The conception of the building and this type of architecture is all about fostering bonds rather than closing, delimiting or erecting a barrier between the stadium and the rest of the world.

Regarding the impact posed by the Arena at the time no performances are being held, the venue has been thought to be differently managed as diverse instances may arise from this new core. The Arena’s facilities and services not only serve for its own management but also serves as the spine to hold the different cultural sceneries taking place at the park. Likewise, the Arena serves as the perfect backdrop for open-air concerts and performances.

The building is accessed from the parking lot through a tree-lined pedestrian promenade which enters the premises through double-height gallery. As it is being walked by, the user gradually enters into a dynamic and cheerful atmosphere, highlighted by its green arbors which shade the spaces assigned for gatherings and pedestrian traffic.

Prior to the access from the ground level, the building is preceded by a meeting square. Said space serves as a meeting point where the user begins to experience the show. The audience is then divided into different groups according to the type of accommodation they have chosen: upper circle, lower circle, box or field; due to the fact that each section of the Arena has its own individual entrance.

The different paths leading to the Arena are sided by restaurants and shops, together with rest areas, which embody an amicable environment for both users and artists, making the visit to the Arena an unforgettable experience. This walk-through mall not only enlightens the surroundings but also the entrance to the premises.

The access ramp is displayed in a transitional manner, illustrating the users’ arrival. The association within inner and outer spaces presents vague limits, and by this means, bestows flexibility from every different access point.

Moreover, it features another area of terraced restaurants with views to the park,
resulting in the ideal place to socialize, take a break and relax.

As regards its construction, concrete ribs have been designed and displayed as a
pattern throughout the entire Arena, in accordance with the units at the park. The ribs mutate their scale according to their function. Concrete has been the most accurate choice of material, forasmuch as it is stable and does not age; said material is categorized as naturally sustainable and low-maintenance.

 
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Status: Unbuilt
Location: Buenos Aires, AR
My Role: Lead Architect
Additional Credits: - Federico Grizzo
- Lucila Grizzo