Alternative spaces for sport: An experimental design studio

Abstract

As there are semantic differences between games and sports, there are also important differences between sports branches in terms of their prevalence, recognition in society and recognition by authorities. While some sports are branches that are followed with continuous and important events in the international arena; some sports are less popular due to low levels of performance and awareness. Although there are important examples of popular sports venues and published resources for the construction of needs, it can be mentioned that there is a lack of specialized and qualified volumes that can meet the requirements of unpopular sports branches. In Fall 2022, architecture students at … University Architectural Design Studio were given the opportunity to produce spatial potentials designed for lesser-known or unpopular sports branches with the theme of “Shaping the Workout”. Each student has completed the studio process with a center design that meets the needs of that sport and ensures that it is introduced to the society, within the functional/conceptual and contextual framework they have established by discovering the appropriate sports/sports or perspective on this subject. This study discusses potential future scenarios produced under the approach of experimental design studio that prioritizes removing limitations for both the exploration and design of functional relationships and the accurate definition of problems. For future designers, it aims to emphasize the role of sports as a social activator that highlights the relationship between sports and the reality of society through spaces and to draw attention to the specificity of sports spaces, beyond contemporary approaches, as structures arising from various cultural and formal interaction systems. The evaluated projects and the experiences of space production presented through the process contribute to both the spatialization of the relevant sports and architectural studio practices