Partille Arena
An arena for everyone
How do we create a functional and welcoming meeting place for everyone in the city? “With an arena,” came the reply from Partille Municipality. While this answer might surprise some people, it is actually a completely natural consequence of today’s desire to spend time around culture, sports and other types of entertainment. With Partille Arena, residents have been given a meeting place that is open from early in the morning until late in the evening.
The exciting thing about this city is that it is constantly evolving and changing. And so does our need for meeting places. A long time ago, we might have met in church every Sunday. Where do we meet and spend time together today? One answer to that question is arenas.
“There is so much energy around an arena. That’s something we should take advantage of. There are loads of people and many different activities, which creates a special mood,” says Christer Blomqvist, one of the architects responsible for Partille Arena.
For Partille Municipality, it was important to offer residents places to meet. The arena is one way to achieve it. Not only does it contain event spaces, it will also serve as the hub of a brand new city district that is currently emerging.
Function and logistics are important when large numbers of people come together
Of course, an arena does not just spring up overnight. Careful analysis and research work are prerequisites for both form and content here. Proximity to the motorway and major logistical challenges form the basis for the building design and structure; it features a closed end towards the road but opens into the city. And “open” was indeed the watchword during this project, with large spaces and lots of glass to facilitate encounters and attract people into the building while maintaining a connection with the city and with life outside.
Several public features such as restaurants, cafes, offices, and a gym on the top floor mean the stadium can be open from early morning to late evening. And, even on days when there are no major events taking place.
“I have designed many venues. One of the major challenges is always to pair logistic functionality with an amazing visitor experience. There is so much that has to come together, both inside and outside the building. And the arena must be able to function in one way at events and in another in everyday life,” says Christer Blomqvist.
Accessible and welcoming to all
The idea was, together with the municipality, to help create a building that works for all audiences. The flexible Arena venue is home to everything from sports to concerts and theatre productions.
“Since the idea was to create a meeting place for the residents of the city, it was important that everyone feel welcome. We worked hard to make the building accessible and gathered the various features around a central foyer that also serves as the entrance. We were especially pleased with that part. 3,500 people pass through here every day. It is the heart of the building.”
Opening up new opportunities
It can hardly have escaped anyone’s notice that there have been many arenas built in Sweden over the past few years. And the pendulum of fashion has swung from the closed, sealed buildings that were popular in the seventies, to open spaces with an inclusive feeling. Now the goal is to advertise content and attract people to come closer. If you take a look at Partille Arena, you can see that it works. The residents embrace the new addition. Regardless of whether they are coming for a morning Pilates class before work or for a dose of Shakespeare after dinner.
