The 2014 Winter Olympics changed the appearance of the famous Russian resort of Sochi beyond recognition. Beloved by millions of Russians and guests of our country, the city has acquired a gloss and personality. And despite the fact that the winter sport festival took place three years ago, thousands of tourists from all countries come here today to see the magnificent Olympic venues. The Iceberg Ice Palace is undoubtedly one of them.
Construction history
Preparations for the Sochi Olympics began in 2007. At this time, the organizers instructed to design the Iceberg Ice Palace (then, however, it did not have this name), a group of foreign architects, led by Italian Alessandro Zoppini. Later, he was involved in the design of an arena for winter sports in South Korea and Poland.
According to the idea of the author of the project, the arena turned out to be cold white. It alternated matte and transparent glazing, like intricate patterns on a snowy window. The shape of the building resembled a giant iceberg, so that in the future it got its name. It had distinct facets, although they were mostly not sharp.
However, in 2009, the project was handed over to the Russian bureau. General baton Andrey Bokov and Mosproekt-4 received the baton. It should be noted that the Iceberg Ice Palace, whose photo you can see below, was built in record time. Construction work began in 2009. And just three years later (2012) skaters competed here at the All-Russian competitions. Our athletes were pleased with the work of builders.
Foreign masters of figure skating had a chance to test the quality of the rink in December 2012 at the Grand Prix finals. Almost at the same time, tests and tracks for the short track passed. In 2014, the Iceberg Ice Palace opened its doors to the Olympians and their fans.
Palace architecture
Russian designers radically changed the idea of Italian experts, with the possible exception of the ice arena itself, which remained very impressive in size - 30x60 meters. Considering the further use of this structure, the architects made an original decision: they created a collapsible structure. Thanks to her, the palace can be completely dismantled, and then assembled anywhere else in the country. In addition, the short track is easy to turn into a cycle track.
The decision was extraordinary, but so far it was not necessary to use the design features of the palace, it still stands in its place. The changed design led to a change in the plastic structure. If Italian experts waved “outside”, then in the final version the building itself became a wave. The color scheme has also changed. It has become more dynamic: two types of Guardian stained glass were used - the colors of sky blue and transparent. They broke the facades into a kind of "pixels", giving the impression of movement. Admittedly, this is not just a wave, it is a tsunami: six hundred tons of double-glazed windows are installed on the walls of the palace.
The special glass used in construction combines thermal insulation and sun protection: in winter it retains heat inside, and in the summer it reflects the sun's rays. Depending on the intensity of sunlight, the transparency of the glass changes. Combining with multi-layered profiles that are painted in all shades of blue, each floor has its own color, which helps viewers navigate the palace more easily.
Description
The Iceberg Ice Palace, as we have already said, resembles a floating block of ice sparkling with a blue sparkle. The palace has a two-tier structure, including a luxurious VIP box. The refined architecture of the palace and the magnificent interior design are ideally combined with the highest quality of construction.
Iceberg Ice Palace was built from modern high-quality materials: transparent, like tear, glass, concrete and steel. The area of the building is about 68 thousand square meters, and at the same time accommodates twelve thousand spectators.
What else is there?
In addition to the standard size ice arena, the Iceberg Ice Palace has short track tracks and a training skating rink for skaters. There are facilities for sharpening skates, training and warm-up areas, as well as conference rooms and restaurants. Athletes, their trainers note the very high professionalism of all the staff of the complex.
Iceberg Palace in Sochi is a multifunctional building. Here competitions are held in various summer sports. This has been made possible thanks to the terracover special insulation coating that covers the ice. In the arena of this wonderful palace, two independent microclimate are automatically supported - the first for stands and the second for ice cover. For the convenience of visitors around the perimeter, two tiers are connected by passages and stairs. The height of the five-story palace is five meters.
On the ground floor are located:
- Ice Arena;
- facilities for sports equipment;
- locker rooms for athletes;
- gym.
On the second and third floors there are comfortable stands for spectators. VIP lodges are located on the fourth floor. Press conferences are held on the fifth floor, and there are also studios for television and radio broadcasts.
Where is?
The unique Iceberg building is located in the city center. His address is easy to remember: Sochi, Olympic Park. Today, various sporting events and ice shows are held here. If you want to get to one of them, we recommend that you call the Iceberg Ice Palace (Sochi) in advance. The administrator's telephone number, which will help you reserve tickets, can be found on the official website. By calling, you will receive information about sports competitions and entertainment shows.
Iceberg Ice Palace: reviews
This unique building, located in the center of the resort of Sochi, cannot but delight. Tourists note that the palace is magnificent not only outside. Everything is thought out to the smallest detail so that athletes, coaches, spectators and fans feel comfortable.