EDDIE IZZARD

NEWS UPDATE
The redevelopment work will create three national-standard venues – including a 45,000-capacity stadium and 15,000-seat indoor sports arena
Building work begins on SIP Sports Centre in Suzhou, China
Building work has begun on a multifunctional
sports complex in the Chinese
city of Sizhou, west of Shanghai.
Designed by architects von Gerkan,
Marg and Partners, the SIP Sports Park
will include three national-standard
venues – a 45,000-seat
stadium, an indoor pool with
3,000 seats and a 15,000-
seat indoor arena. The sports
venues will be surrounded by
residential quarters, a hotel
and a leisure district offering
community sports facilities
and public spaces. In addition
to the competition and training
pools, the swimming hall
includes a spa area, leisure
pools and sports shops.
The development is being
funded jointly by Sizhou
City and Jiangsu Regional
authorities and when complete,
will form part of the larger
Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). Due to open
in 2017, the complex has been designed
to fit into its surroundings in a city
renowned for its natural beauty.
A spokesperson for architects von
Gerkan, Marg and Partners said: “Suzhou
Ground works have been completed and the project will open in 2017
is famous in China for its landscape
design, and the masterplan for this new
sports park is based on this tradition.
“In a modern interpretation of the
city’s traditional gardens, an informally
designed park landscape flows around
the podiums that rise in
straight lines from the
surrounding streets and
support the stadiums.
“All three stadiums have
undulating roofs that make
the ensemble into a landmark
visible from afar.
“The curved roofs will give
the impression of unified
pavilions, marking the high
points in this landscape.
“As visitors walk along the
curved pathways, various
vistas open up to water
features, pavilion architecture,
and the landscape.”
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