ZSC Arena in Altstetten | EBP

Based on a design proposal submitted at the end of 2012, the Zurich-based architectural firm Caruso St. John was awarded the contract to design the new ZSC Arena in Altstetten. The future home arena for the ZSC Lions hockey team will be a prominent feature on the landscape, plainly visible from access roads and the railway. EBP was commissioned to help the architectural firm complete the planning of the arena’s façade.

The new ZSC Arena will house two ice-hockey rinks. With seating for 12,000 fans, the main rink is to be used as a venue for Swiss-league and international matches, while the other rink is to be used as a training facility for up-and-coming players. Visitors will enter the arena via several entrance façades (4 meters high by 5 meters wide) spaced at intervals across the entire length of the arena. The metal façade elements are burglar-proof. Needing to meet various demanding specifications (e.g. relating to fresh-air systems, emergency-exit capacity, etc.), the double-leaf doors will be outfitted with many electric and manual components. On the ground level, large metal-grid gates will provide access to the upper levels of the arena. Numerous spectator-related security measures will also need to be implemented.

On the upper level, more than three hundred curved windows, each with a diameter of 1.8 meters, will be placed in the cast-in-situ concrete façade. The windows will provide a main source of light for the office space in the arena.

EBP will also complete the planning for the building’s numerous interior windows. These include large curved windows with integrated curved door openings for the VIP area. These windows are to meet demanding fire-safety, sound-insulation and burglar-resistance specifications.

Picture Credits: Caruso St. John Architects