Turkish Iceby Jan Zimmermann | 18.06.2015

Kayseri Ice Ring

An ice rink in Turkey – I have to say that I was surprised to read about it, because I usually associate the land north of the Fertile Crescent with a rather warm climate. But Turkey experts will know that the city of Kayseri, where the rink is situated, is the seat of the province of the same name in Cappadocia which has a continental climate and, therefore, hot summers and cold winters. Nevertheless, the Kayseri Ice Ring by BKA-Bahadir Kul Architects remains wondrous.

Modern Gingerbread House

What the witch in the tale of Hansel and Gretel was able to achieve with her gingerbread house is no mystery to modern architects. Hence, the Kayseri Ice Ring might not be as sweet as the witch’s house, but it is probably at least as attractive to children. Fortunately, what is waiting for them inside has nothing to do with cannibalism but is all about healthy winter sports. The entrance already gives a hint to what the 2.600 m² building is about. Diagonal, sometimes ramified columns resembling iced trees support a projecting roof with a reflective bottom like the surface of a frozen lake. Beyond the trees, a curved glazed wall already allows a look into what awaits inside.

Coloured Glass

Although the three other walls of the ice rink are much more massive than the glazed wall of the entrance area, they are also not exactly blind. Especially the southern wall is almost as glazed as the entrance to the west. Here, gigantic drop-shaped windows with coloured panes decorate the façade and probably tend to cause a child’s astonishment. The short wall to the east is only covered half with the giant windows. The other half shows smaller but not less colourful openings, continuing on the entire wall to the north.

Almost free Access

The actual rink makes about one quarter of the interior, with spectators’ seats along its south and east side. A large playground for children is right to the left of the entrance behind the glazed façade. Access seems to be free to the largest part of the hall, since the box office is situated deep within the building beside storages, toilets and in front of the manager’s office. Only a relatively small, separated area in the northeast corner is accessed via the box office. From there, you get to the changing rooms, their respective showers and toilets and, of course, on the ice.

Elevated Retreat

If someone feels like having a break after all the icy sports stuff, he may access a mezzanine via a staircase where he will find a cafeteria. There, between snacks and coffee, he may also enjoy the sight of his sliding and pirouetting fellow visitors.

Conclusion

The Kayseri Ice Ring convinces with an outward appearance made of “icing”, “reflective ice” and rainbow windows and should therefore enchant especially the smaller winter sportsters. In the interior, it offers a diverse play of light through the colourful windows and, apart from that, anything a modern sports facility needs.