ROOFTOP FOOTBALL PITCH

Intended as a public space shared by students and the city, the Hexi Sports Field, designed by the UAD, is located to the northwest of Shaozing's University campus, bordering the old town and overlooking the Fengze River.

Commissioned to make both extensive sports facilities and a sports field, the design studio decided to combine the two endeavours. The existing track field has been replaced with a ground floor which houses basketball, badminton, volleyball and tennis courts. This is paired with a gym, climbing wall and skateboard area, framed by concrete vaults and columns.

Atop the concrete columns is an elevated track field, which has also incorporated a football pitch. "Faced with the huge challenge of insufficient space, the core contradiction of this project is to retain the existing track field and add more functional venues to meet the needs of teachers, students and residents for exercise activities," explains UAD.

Looking to create a feeling of openness, three sides of the vaulted concrete structure have been left open to the surrounding city, intended to encourage community engagement. Areas requiring greater climate control have been placed inside the centre or to the rear of the site and are enclosed by walls.

Two long ramps at the east and west ends of Hexi Sports Field lead to spiral staircases that wind up to the pitch, finished with perforated white-metal balustrades. Additional ramps and stairs provide access to spaces that are partially sunken due to the sloping site. The concrete structure has been left exposed throughout the interior, complemented by glossy green and black tiles informed by public gathering spaces found in the city.

Photography by Zhao Qiang, via dezeen