USER STORY

RUBEN REDDY, ARCHITECTS

The Bolshoi Dome is a multi-purpose Arena that was designed and used for Ice Hockey for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russian Federation. Ruben Reddy Architects recently won a prestigious IOC/IAKS Award and an IPC/IAKS Distinction for their innovative design of this amazing facility. Carl Wright of Ruben Reddy Architects describes the project and the crucial role that form•Z played in the design. “Ruben Reddy Architects along with Botta Project Management and Implenia Engineers completed a concise and detailed Concept model of The Bolshoi Ice Dome for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic bid book. As the design architect for the Sochi Ice Hockey Arena, I used form•Z to guide my concept of a frozen water droplet.

RUBEN REDDY ARCHITECTS

Ruben Reddy Architects was established in Durban in 1988 and specializes in sport architecture, healthcare facilities and public sector buildings. The practice also has experience in large scale transportation hubs, spatial planning and urban design. The firm now has three offices located in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively. More information: http://www.rubenreddyarchitects.co.za

Using Nurbz Surfaces, spheres, meshes and Deform tools, I was able to design through a number of profiles of the droplet until the true form of the meniscal frozen shape was achieved. The malleability of form•Z surfaces was key to producing and exporting the model to Engineering programs. This was essential for the Domes stability as Sochi is a ‘Seismic level 9’ region and all precautions of a seismic event of this magnitude had to be tested.

Once the bid was awarded to Sochi, further developments to the modeling the exterior to include lighting and the podium were achieved using the form•Z. The next process was concepts for the interior where universal access to every level was achieved using ramps modeled in form•Z. The interior levels were modeled and then rendered using Maxwell using a variety of Regional themes; from Russian Landscapes and Aurora, to a Russian Ice Hockey museum. The final interior design was based on the latter concept.

Using the versatility of form•Z modeling the interiors and the reality of Maxwell rendering capabilities, the client was able to view a complete architectural solution of the Dome’s exterior and interior finishes.” We congratulate Carl Wright and Ruben Reddy Architects for their excellent work and look forward to their next exciting project.

Every two years since 1987, the IOC/IAKS Award is commending sports and leisure facilities of exemplary design and function. The winning projects can be new buildings or existing facilities that have been extended or modernized. The competition is sponsored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS).
Together with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the IAKS is also awarding the IPC/IAKS Distinction for sports and leisure facilities suitable for persons with a disability. The IPC/IAKS Distinction aims to promote accessibility to sports facilities and all other buildings in order to give opportunities to practice or view sport freely and without barriers to all people, regardless of their physical abilities.