The new building is a proactive response to the severe overheating of major cities in Central Europe, especially in the summer months, and Karlsruhe in particular, due to its location in the Rhine Valley. A concept was developed that combines design and building cooling with a low-tech strategy.
Within this context, a link will be established between the three-field sports hall and its location and users. This is achieved by covering the lowered sports area with a ‘floating’ roof, which projects around the entire hall. The roof overhang, which functions as a horizontal sun shade and also defines a protected, covered outdoor area, creates a natural transition to the environment.
Cooling a building through the evaporation of water is an inexpensive and effective method. The evaporation of one cubic metre of rainwater generates 680 kWh of cold energy. The building uses this cooling effect through its green facade, which works as a low-tech approach without additional technical equipment and is directly linked to the energy optimisation of the building. The idea is for the facade to be green in summer and to allow sunlight to pass through the glass facade unimpeded in winter. By generating cold energy through evaporation, the microclimate inside the building and within the immediate vicinity of the building is optimised.