National Sports Complex Maldives designed by TAGO Architects and AGT Construction collaboration, will contribute economical, social, and cultural development of Hulhumale, which is a man-made island constructed because of land limitation in Maldives with the help of its sports and besides residencial, hotel, convention center and retail functions.      

A healthy environment is a whole in which both mental and physical needs are provided fairly. Seeking to provide this integrity, our firm, TagoArchitects, is honoured to be a part of such a big step in the expansion of Hulhumale Island, under the leadership of AGT construction. Leaving a permanent work in Hulhumale Island  and taking part in every phase of the production process efficiently is our primary goal. Our experince is the warrant of this goal.

The National Sports Center is located on Hulhumale island / Maldives on two seperate neighbouring parcels. The main sports hall, training fields and public leisure activities are located on the bigger parcel, while the smaller parcel holds the hotel and the residence, retail spaces and convention hall.

 This approach ensures that the parts that can be separated into basic functions and operations are handled separately. This required a solution that would not only reduce expenses but also address construction phases.

The main entrances of the buildings are given between the two parcels, aiming to perceive the complex as a whole, to provide transitivity in various functions and to be used in the middle of the road area.

The design is to search for aesthetics that will arise from a combination of two-way symmetrical designs along the elliptical land boundaries of the main character at right angles.

The shape material and approach similarities and some dominant differences have been tried to provide harmony between the two functions and to express their identity.

Sports Hall Area is the main element of a spectacular gymnasium. The first two sections, the foyer and the gym, are separated by a space from the part of the training fields. This space allows for entry into one of the training fields while allowing for VIP entry from the other.

Both sports fields, as well as waiting monitoring and other fields of use, will be prepared in accordance with international standards and will work with relevant sports federations when necessary.

The foyer is a high space of two storeys that is open to public use, where audience entries aremade from the wide transparent side. It opens to the short street between them, which is thecommon edge of the two parcels. The 2-storey high glass (transparent) surface facing the streetleads to the hotel's garden and shopping areas on the other side of this street.

 At the entrance there are turnstiles right ahead. On the other side of the turnstiles, escalators andstairs located on both sides reach the upper gallery floor. Access to the ground floor is possible forthe disabled. Evacuation of the main hall after competitions is provided from the ground level.

 On the right side of the entrance there is a billiards area for 7 tables, a 2-lane bowling area and a cafe-bar. To the left of the entrance is a table tennis area with 10 tables.

The main audience entries to the hall are from the gallery floor. Catering areas are located symmetrically on both sides where the staircases reach on the upper floor.

The main gym with a capacity of 1500 people is suitable for futsal, handball, netball and basketball competitions. Audience seats can be folded back and a bigger space can be provided for particular purposes . For instance, it is possible to divide the field into two and use it as two basketball fields, or to use it as a concert venue.

The gap between the sports hall area and the training courts forms a natural entrance for the athlete entrance on one side. On the other side is the VIP entrance as mentioned. Training courts, gym, facility clinic, climbing wall and changing rooms are all attached to this alley.

On the right side of the athlete's entrance are training fields. The training fields consist of 1 basketball, 1 netball, 1 handball, 1 futsal and 5 badminton fields. The areas connected to the first corridor on the left side of the entrance are the clinic and gym area. The top floor has a sports center management and a VIP room.

 The other symmetrical wing has 2 volleyball training fields and 2 squash fields. The alley, which separates the two masses, is widespread in terms of welcoming the athletes for training and the locker rooms are connected to this corridor. The athletes coming to the competition also use this entry, but their locker rooms are provided via the holden at the entrance of the athlete's main hall.

Hotel, Residence ,Convention Center and Retail Areas…

Hotel area is a whole emerging form the unity of inner and outer spaces. The area between the commercial areas on the left side of the entrance and the hotel lobby on the right is an interior courtyard that can be used both as an open cocktail area and as an open foyer for both hotel lobby and the convention hall.

The hotel entrance and residence entrance are separated by common use spaces. Hotel entrance lobby is from the inner courtyard while entrance lobby for the residence floors is form the road on the opposite side. It is also ensured that the managements of the two accommodation functions can be separated if necessary.

The first 3 floors of the main building, which are reserved for the hotel guests, are also separated from the residents of the upper floors. Two neighbouring hotel rooms transform into one residence unit which consist of one bedroom, one bathroom and a living room with an open kitchen, on the upper floors.

The hotel's breakfast room and café area are located between the two lobbies,  facing the street in the middle ,where the two functions can utilize together.

 A service entrance is located in the vicinity of the entrance of the hotel and this entrance opens to the places to be used by the employees at the same time.

At the end of  the main access of the inner court, facing the short street between the two neighbouring parcels, there is a semi-open foyer and a closed foyer, constituting an entrance to the convention hall.

The main hall, with a height of 10 metres, is designed for several purposes. Located close to hotel kitchen and service hub, the hall can host meetings with catering service. Also, there's a place for a wide stage on the opposite of the entrance and walls for presentation opportunities and sound systems on both sides of the stage.

Various furnishing possibilities can host a number of minimum 1000 guests for full service catering occasions, whereas a maximum number of 2000 guests in seatings facing the stage can be located, when catering service is excluded.

Sufficient place for interpreters and for the preparation of lecturers can be seperated within this volume for the service of this area.

Retail stores , reserved according to the needs of the complex, are composed of 6 units with a total area of 661 square metres.Sales units which have access both from the inner court and street are located in order to form a passage between these two phsical environments. With a height of 6 metres, there's an opportunity to add a mezzannine to each store.

Sufficient place for interpreters and for the preparation of lecturers can be seperated within this volume for the service of this area.

Retail stores , reserved according to the needs of the complex, are composed of 6 units with a total area of 661 square metres.Sales units which have access both from the inner court and street are located in order to form a passage between these two phsical environments. With a height of 6 metres, there's an opportunity to add a mezzannine to each store.

Credits

Project Name: National Sports Complex Maldives

Architectural Design: TAGO Architects

Project Location: Hulhumale Island, Maldives                                                                                                    

Project Type: Sports Complex / Mixed-Use

Total Project Area: 22325 sqm