A modern sports hall will soon be built in Warsaw. The facility will be built on the grounds of the Skra complex at Wawelska Street, and work is expected to begin next year. The new hall will include full-size pitches, a gym, a warm-up room, facilities for players and coaching staff, as well as training space for children and young people.
New Skra for PLN 200 million
The Council of Warsaw has included PLN 200 million in the city’s Long-Term Financial Forecast for an investment described as ‘Modernisation of the site at 5 Wawelska Street – stage II’. The design of the entire complex, including the new hall, was prepared by studios Bujnowski Architekci and ATJ Architekci. Their concept refers to an unrealised project from the 1950s, which envisaged the creation of a large sports centre at the site. The new hall is to be used primarily by the basketball players of Legia Warszawa and the volleyball players of PGE Projekt Warszawa. In the future, it will also be possible to organise Dziki Warszawa matches there. The facility is to be larger than Torwar, which offers five thousand seats.
Modernisation of the entire Skra complex
The sports hall will be one part of the redevelopment of the Skra grounds. The new facility will replace the devastated former outdoor swimming pool complex. The hall will be 12 metres high, have a green roof and an underground storey with a multi-purpose pitch. The building will also include a gym, canteen, medical facilities and smaller training rooms. A public park space with a fountain and recreational areas will be created in place of the former paved square. An upgraded athletics stadium meeting the requirements of the second category of the International Federation of Athletics is planned for the neighbourhood. The stands of the new stadium will accommodate 25,000 spectators and its form will resemble an elongated horseshoe open towards Pole Mokotowskie. The architects have envisaged preserving the historic facades and the massive retaining wall, as recommended by the conservator.
Nowa Skra and residents’ objections
Not everyone welcomed the decision to build the hall with enthusiasm. Some residents and councillors of the Ochota district accuse the city authorities of a lack of public consultation and a rush to proceed with changes to the financial forecast. The opposition stresses that a modern sports facility is needed, but its location should be reconsidered. Parking and traffic issues, which raise the greatest objections, are to be solved along the lines of those used in Saska Kępa during events at the National Stadium. On match days, access to the Old Ochota area will be restricted to residents’ vehicles with special passes only.
Skra now and after modernisation. Photo: Google Earth and UM Warszawa
Sport is returning to Skra
The Skra site has been linked to sport for decades, so the city plans to return it to this function. 39 councillors voted in favour of the changes to the Multiannual Financial Forecast, 13 abstained and no one voted against. The construction of the hall is intended to enable the capital’s teams to play matches at a European level without having to relocate to other cities.
New quality in Warsaw’s sport
The new hall at Skra is to be a place that combines sporting, educational and recreational functions. It is also intended to respond to the needs of local residents by offering them a modern, green space. The design includes acoustic solutions to reduce noise during events and monitoring of traffic and parking issues. As a result, the facility is expected to become one of Warsaw’s main sports centres in the future.
Design: Bujnowski Architekci Sp. z o.o., “ATJ ARCHITEKCI” Sp. z o.o. from Warsaw
Source: tvn24.pl, UM Warszawa
Read also: Warsaw | City | Interesting Facts | Sports | Places, Squares, Parks | whiteMAD on Instagram
