Sporty hybrid construction
The countdown has begun: in just 205 days, the new Zurich Sports Centre will open its doors to athletes from over 30 sports. From 16 August 2026, this centre of sporting excellence, located between Dübendorf and Wangen-Brüttisellen, will bring sport, education and medicine together under one roof.
The steel structure, currently crowned with trees, indicates that a significant milestone has been reached. The steel shell, weighing 1,115 tonnes in total, has been completed – the steelworkers from Mauchle Stahlbau have crossed the finish line. They will soon be followed by the construction workers from Barizzi AG and the structural engineers from LÜCHINGER MEYER PARTNER, who are set to complete the final ceiling.
The supporting structures of the seven-storey building and its interlocking spaces were constructed using a concrete-steel hybrid design. Steel composite beams were used for the wide-span hall ceilings.
Two-storey steel trusses span the two gymnastics halls. The floor slabs are solid in-situ concrete slabs that accommodate the necessary building services installations. The floor slabs above levels 2 and 3 are made of prefabricated ribbed concrete. The closed perimeter walls of the gymnasiums are made of in-situ concrete and prefabricated support structures. These wall panels also serve to horizontally reinforce the building.
Steel sheet girders spanning around 5.6 m are used to support the two main sports halls. The ceiling between the girders is covered with prefabricated concrete slabs that act as permanent formwork. A concrete overlay connects all the supporting elements to form an efficient composite structure. The access area, which is rotated by 90 degrees and comprises cloakrooms on level 4 and a foyer and gallery on level 5, was designed as a wide-span slab construction spanning several floors.
Total contractor: HRS Real Estate AG
Architecture: brunner weibel architekten
Photos: LMP, Mauchle
