A bowl designed and engineered for atmosphere — from high-intensity sports matches and large-scale concerts to more intimate events. A new urban landmark that integrates multiple sports facilities, activating the city centre and supporting local businesses. This is the Multipurpose Urban Arena in Jihlava, Czech Republic, designed by CHYBIK + KRISTOF.

The key challenge in designing a large multifunctional arena was its location — set in direct contact with the historic centre of a city of just 50,000 inhabitants. CHYBIK + KRISTOF approached this constraint as an opportunity: to transform the former 1950s ice stadium site into an active urban destination, building on existing infrastructure and bringing new value to the local community.

For this reason, the arena was conceived as a highly accessible public building, integrating a mix of uses — hotel, restaurant, a fan shop, gym, and a sport hall on the top floor. At the very top, it is crowned by a publicly accessible running track on the roof of the red oval arena. This mix of uses activates the surrounding area throughout the day, supports local businesses in the city centre, and turns the former stadium site into a lively urban destination.

A key factor in the competition-winning proposal was the decision to divide the arena into two volumes: the red oval arena and a taller silver corner building. This strategy breaks down the scale and opens up a space between them, accommodating an outdoor amphitheatre for live sports screenings and open-air cinema.

Read the full article from ISSUE 47 below: