The sports centre which is
currently being built in the French municipality of Sarreguemines will not only
be used for training by schoolchildren and sports clubs in the future, it will
also host supra-regional competitions. The walls of the striking building
complex leading to the foyer of the new sports centre are slightly curved. The
construction company Sotravest used PASCHAL's circular trapezoidal girder
formwork with clamp connection, TTK for short, to form the walls with a slight
curve.
Sarreguemines is a town in
the department of Moselle in the French region of Grand-Est, about 20
kilometres south of Saarbrücken. A new and modern sports centre will make the
region better known throughout nation. The Bliespark in the Emile Gentil
neighbourhood will not only host regional and supra-regional competitions,
national competitions will also be held there. The builder of the 6,000 square
metre sports centre is an association of regional municipalities, the
Sarreguemines Confluences agglomeration community. The focal point of the new
sports complex is a large multi-purpose hall, which is regarded as the heart of
the centre and which will have 1,500 seats for school sports or for hosting
sports competitions. The multi-sports complex will also house a fencing hall
with 14 pistes and stands, which can be converted into a versatile sports hall,
as well as a training field that can be used by pupils but which can also serve
as a warm-up area during competitions. Further key areas are planned:
• Storage units for sports and teaching
materials
• An adaptable teaching room/meeting room
• A clubhouse-style social area (with bar and
snack counter) during competitions
• Offices specifically for sports instructors and clubs.
Around 18 million euros
have been invested in this facility. The Communauté d'Agglomération
Sarreguemines Confluences has received financial support from the Grand Est
region, the department of Moselle and the National Sports Agency.
An
arena with national appeal emerges
Atelier FERRET
Architectures is the architect that designed the Bliespark with support
provided during construction management by the architect Christophe MINAIRE
from Sarreguemines. Atelier FERRET Architectures wanted a compact and
functional building, that would take the wooded and sloping terrain into
account. The sports complex fits perfectly into the general topography and
creates a unique view of the Blies valley and the sunset. The terrace
overlooking the entrance to the complex enhances the monumental entrance area
thanks to two long beams that are connected by two major overhangs. This
technical masterpiece which was requested by the architect was made possible by
the expertise of SOTRAVEST.
Sotravest decided to use
the circular trapezoidal girder formwork with clamp connection (TTK) to
concrete the slightly curved walls. 200 square metres of the formwork solution
from PASCHAL were rented. The formwork specialists drew up the formwork plan so
that the two curved walls could be formed in five steps.
Marc Tritschler, site
manager at Sotravest: “ The greatest technical difficulty was connecting to an
existing straight wall with circular formwork to create a curved wall on top.
With the support of PASCHAL's technician, we chose the solution shown in the
second picture below, namely that the height of the formwork was adjusted so
that a 1.50 metre high panel could pass over the existing straight wall. We are
very satisfied with the technical support from PASCHAL provided personally by
Mr Schweitzer during the planning phase, which made it possible to choose the
best technical solution for the execution of the work. The Sotravest production
teams led by foreman Mr Erdal did a remarkable job on this outstanding
building.”
The
large radius makes curvature almost invisible
The striking architecture
of the new sports centre is characterised by the geometry of the curved walls.
Anyone attending a sporting event will notice when they enter the foyer that
the walls are not aligned at right angles. But the curvature is not easy to
recognise, particularly in photos. According to Jan Skipka, the curvature is
almost invisible because the circular formwork was pre-rounded by PASCHAL with
a radius of 267.5 metres: “If you were to complete the wall with this radius so
that it forms a circle, the building would have a diameter of over 500 metres,”
explains the Key Account Manager International Business at PASCHAL.
The construction workers
from Sotravest were able to form the slightly curved walls using TTK as to
create a smooth curve without any kinks. The construction company used the
trapezoidal girder formwork with clamp connection because it requires fewer
connecting panels, allowing the company to work more flexibly. There was
another factor that made the work easier: the work platforms formed a unit with
the formwork and were firmly secured at the start. The combination of formwork
and the Multip working platform did not have to be dismantled during
implementation, which saved the construction company a lot of time.
The order volume for the
formwork was just under 26,000 euros and the formwork work was completed in
August 2023. Once completed, pupils from the Collège Fulrad in Sarreguemines,
primary schools and sports clubs in the region will be able to train and
organise sports competitions here. When designing the outdoor facility, the
municipal association placed great importance on sustainability and
biodiversity. The roof terrace and the surrounding gardens as well as a
landscaped promenade along the restored Lembach and an athletics track will
serve as a recreational area for the residents of the neighbourhood.
After just over three years of construction, the sports centre is scheduled to open in spring 2025.
