Sports Architect HKS Wins Design Jobs For Copenhagen Arena, Russia Stadium

North American sports architect HKS is making more inroads in Europe, winning two jobs to design a new arena in Copenhagen and a new soccer stadium in Russia tied to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In Denmark, HKS teamed with 3XN and three other design and engineering firms to develop a 15,000-seat multipurpose arena set to open in the country’s capital in '15. The facility is co-owned by the city of Copenhagen and Realdania, a development company tied to high-quality government projects. Together, those two entities are providing more than $100M in funding for the project, with additional financing from the Danish Ministry of Culture and Sports Federation of Denmark. The arena will seat 12,500 for most sports events, including hockey, basketball and boxing, with the flexibility to hold swimming competitions. The blueprints cover 20 suites and four clubs. Concert promoter Live Nation signed a long-term deal to run the arena. Paul Hyett, an HKS principal in the firm’s London office, said an indoor ice rink attached to the arena will be used for training and skating exhibitions. The urban site is midway between two stops on a light rail line and a short ride from the Copenhagen airport.

READY FOR WORLD CUP: In Russia, HKS, in conjunction with Mosproject-4, a local design institute, won the bid to design a new 50,000-seat World Cup stadium in Krasdonar. The $300M facility, to be built in a community near the Black Sea, will be used by two Russian soccer teams after the 2018 international competition is over, Hyett said. Elsewhere, HKS has been shortlisted to design a 70,000-seat stadium in Paris which will serve as France’s national rugby facility. The country is a stronghold in rugby having made the World Cup finals three times in the last 20 years. The HKS design calls for an open room and a movable pitch. HKS’ design partner for that project is local firm Arte Charpentier. Populous and Foster and Partners are the two other finalists in a design competition. Hyett said that the winner should be selected this fall.