This project, completed in early 2013, is our Competition winning proposal for the Olympic Swimming Pool Arena in Erbil, Kurdistan. The project represents a continuation in our on-going exploration of formal and programmatic variations, which started with our design for the Eternity Tower in Dubai and continues throughout much of our work, most recently with the Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, in Lagos.
Inspired by the morphology of a fish, we have tried to integrate the architectural concept and structural form into one single element. The building consists of two grand arches which sit against one another and essentially support the sloping walls that enclose the swimming pool arena and its accompanying programme. The petal shaped roof consists of a steel and glass structure that brings great amounts of natural light into the arena and allows amazing views of the pool from the 2000 seat capacity arena.