Authors: Miguel A. Alonso del Val, Rufino J. Hernández Minguillón, Marcos Escartín Miguel, Mikel Zabalza Zamarbide. Collaborators: Miguela Modrego, Mercedes Salgado. Technical Architects: Michel Aldaz García-Mina, Susana Ruiz de Galarreta. Engineering: Miguela Modrego Jiménez, Eduardo Ozcoidi Echarren. Developer: Inmudensa. Constructor: Caldenor S.L. Project Date: July 2007. Completion Date: August 2008. Built Surface: 1,316 sqm. Photographer: José Manuel Cutillas – Proyectar. Awards: Finalista Premios COAVN 2010, Categoría Dotacional.

The new court roof is located in the University of Navarre’s sporting facilities in Pamplona. In a bid to reduce as far as possible the impact on the urban layout and landscapes, a simple volumetric solution was chosen. It is, therefore, a light and clean volume in terms of materials, which allows it to fulfil its purpose of closing off the courts without interfering with the landscape.

This strategy thereby maintains the manifest determination to preserve the specific and unique character of the Campus as a continuous green space into which single buildings are inserted which, in their voluntary compactness, avoid any sensation of being contrived in order to maintain the image of a city park which seeks to enhance the existing landscapes.

A light building is proposed, which is simply a new roof covering the University campus sports building, also designed by the same firm. Underneath the roof there is a tennis court and 3 paddle courts. The roof would be a wide span metal structure, contributing to the lightness and provisional look of the finished building through a series of frames and light straps with skylights arranged in a saw tooth pattern.

The façade, offset from the structure, emphasises its character as a lightweight building envelope, intentionally leaving the roof in the background. The façade has been made using a translucent material, polycarbonate, which contributes to the sensation of lightness and also to the purpose of the building. The upper horizontal closing of this envelope is resolved through the use of an in situsandwich panel. The façade is interrupted at a height of 3 metres in relation to the court in order to allow for unbroken views of the green spaces in which the sports building has been built.

Urbarama. (Página consultada el 06 de julio de 2009). Cubierta de las instalaciones deportivas del Campus de la Universidad de Navarra [ES]. [On-line]. Dirección URL: http://es.urbarama.com/project/cubierta-de-las-instalaciones-deportivas-del-campus-de-la-universidad-de-navarra

Mimoa. (Página consultada el 02 de julio de 2009). UNAV Sports Centre Roof. [On-line]. Dirección URL: http://www.mimoa.eu/projects/Spain/Pamplona/Unav%20Sports%20Centre%20Roof

World Architecture Community. (Página consultada en julio de 2009). Roof UNAV Sports Centre. [On-line]. Dirección URL: http://www.worldarchitecture.org/world-buildings/world-buildings-detail.asp?position=detail&country=Spain&no=4955

Sólo Arquitectura. (Página consultada en Noviembre de 2011). Pista cubierta de la Universidad de Navarra: [On-line]. Dirección URL: http://www.soloarquitectura.com/proyectos/ah_asociados_pista_cubierta_universidad_navarra.html

Europa Concorsi. (Página consultada el 27 de octubre de 2009). Cubierta del Polideportivo de la Universidad de Navarra [On-line]. Dirección URL: http://europaconcorsi.com/projects/110743-Cubierta-de-las-instalaciones-deportivas-del-Campus-de-la-Universidad-de-Navarra