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Planning intentions and context
The main objective of the hockey rink plan was to redefine the urban landscape by changing the layout of this area of the city from the configuration done for the 1934 World Football Championship Games to one for the 2006 Winter Olympics. The area of the project competition held in 2001 included the existing municipal stadium and the "Maratona" tower, the overlooking Piazza d'Armi Park and the "ex-Combi" area behind. The plan was to divert present-day Corso Sebastopol underground to link the park and the sports facilities in a new sports complex, similar to what was done in Montjuic for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. If the main features of the landscape designed for the Football Championships in 1934 were the volumes of the tower standing along Corso Sebastopoli and the stadium - clearly outlined and isolated in their solemnity from the ticket booths that dotted the boundary walls - the large new urban area will be the main event in 2006. The areas included in the project competition merge together in a single large area and the landscape design creates a relation among existing buildings, the park and the new hockey rink by integrating them with each other in a new single urban area. The "Maratona" tower has a centralising function, placed in front of the park and at the end of a strip of water in which it is reflected; the old stadium is an important testimony of the past, restored and refunctionalized in accordance with current requirements; the new hockey rink refers back to the old stadium and reinterprets its proportions with the use of the latest materials. The Piazza d'Armi Park was redesigned to interpret and emphasize the relationship between the various facilities. A vast empty field brings the dimensions of the new hockey rink into the design of the park and a series of large two-dimensional areas retrace the lines and effect of the sports facilities opposite. The existing Corso Sebastopoli is closed to traffic and transformed into a large pedestrian square between the park and the facilities, enabling large crowds of people to be directed and creating an official area symbolizing the Olympic event. The extent of the new works always depends on the pre-existing situation. The most powerful feature remains the existing tower and its role. As a vertical centre of attraction, the old stadium sets the horizontal boundary of the built-up area (15 metres) containing the volume of the new hockey rink, which establishes a dialogue between the old and the new. The materials and the proportions are the instruments of this dialogue: The round and echoless cement shape of the stadium acquires a new vitality together with the ringing stainless steel of the stern Cartesian parallelepiped of the new venue. Much attention was given to its post-Olympic use when designing the new hockey rink. A sort of "factory of events" is being created in the industrial city of Torino, truly designed with an almost endless potentiality for use in the future due to its mobile floors and stands, which allow the distribution of internal space to be modified in order to adapt them for multiple uses. Ice sports, indoor sports, concerts, shows, conventions, congresses, ceremonies, important events, parades, religious meetings, etc. can all be hosted in the same building with reduced operating costs due to the simplicity of the technical methods used to adapt the facility, like a fuel-efficient engine. Just as the engine hidden in the bodywork gives the automobile its raison d'etre by moving it, so the coexistence of functional flexibility and technological equipment make the new hockey rink a continuing factory of events, a facility always ready to host shows that are welcomed by the community.

The plan
The hockey rink is made up of a large mass of 183x100 metres of stainless steel suspended over a 5-metre high glass wall base facing the park. To reduce the height of the building as much as possible, the hockey track was placed at a height of -7.50m, and the stands are located partly below and partly above ground level. This solution made it possible to avoid the presence of large emergency stairways, transforming them into short passageways for immediate exit from the stands towards the exterior. On entering the facility, spectators are at the midpoint of the stands and can either go up or down to find their assigned seat. In this way, two 3.75m high underground floors were created to be used by the athletes, Olympic staff, the press and for various waiting lounges. All technical equipment rooms for air conditioning and building control are also located on these floors. The areas above ground at level 0.00 and 6.00 are reserved entirely for the public, thus avoiding interferences of any kind. A third section of the facility is made up of the external technical services complex where noisy and potentially dangerous equipment requiring open-air space is located. These are located in an additional 5-metre high rectangular structure, covered with rough cement, on the south side of the hockey rink accessible from Via Filadelfia. The new hockey rink was located next to the old stadium, parallel to Corso Galileo Ferraris. At the project competition stage, an underground pedestrian passage was planned between the old stadium and the new hockey rink to connect the new facility with the media, VIP and Olympic Family area, planned in the old stadium. Following the client's request, the media, VIP and Olympic Family area was moved to the underground rooms of the hockey rink, which were enlarged, and the passage to the old stadium was dropped. The plan of the hockey rink provides seating for 12,227 spectators in addition to 105 places for the disabled for a total of 12,332 seats and 13 stands. The various categories of users - athletes, spectators, Olympic Family, media and venue management - may move around and use the areas without hindrance according to an accurate study of the internal flow of people. Ordinary spectators were divided into four sectors with a maximum seating capacity of 4,000 each, in accordance with sports regulations with separate entrances and exits. Passageways both for the public and athletes were studied respecting the removal of architectural barriers, so as to be easily used by the disabled during normal use and in the case of important special events. This was achieved without the use of special equipment. In fact, in the case of sports use of the ice rink (at level -7.50), the athletes enter on the same level and have vehicle access to the underground areas, whereas the public enters at level 0.00. In the case of other uses, with the temporary flooring at level 0.00, all activities take place at entrance level. The building is constructed on four floors: underground level (-7.50) containing the competition field, the areas set aside for the athletes/judges and technical services rooms. intermediate level (-3.75) reserved for the Olympic Family, the media, venue management and the sports federations. ground level (0.00) set aside for entrances, distribution areas, stands and areas for moving the mobile stands. upper level (6.00) intended as a perimetric gallery with standing room to view special events in post-Olympic use and a refreshment area.

Access
On the south side of the building, vehicle entrances are planned along Via Filadelfia for both level 0.00 and level -7.50 by means of a double ramp system at the entrance and exit to allow for an alternative means of access for emergency vehicles. The athletes have access to their underground rooms by means of vehicle entrances to the -7.50 level or by foot from the vehicle ramps. Pedestrian entrances for the Olympic Family and International Hockey Federation and those for the media and venue management employees are also located at the rear of the facility, in two separate places to maintain the flow of people separate. The public has access to three sectors of the facility (A, B and D) from the front on Corso Sebastopoli, which will be turned into a pedestrian area and incorporated into the present-day Piazza d'Armi (Cavalieri Gardens of Vittorio Veneto). Access to sector C is through two side entrances on via Filadelfia that also serve as an exitway from the facility at the end of events. The two ticket booths, one in via Filadelfia, the other bringing back into use a ticket booth in the wing of the "Maratona" tower, are more than 10 metres from the outer edge of the facility and do not interfere with the entry and exit of spectators. In addition to the area set aside for competition sports, all areas in support of a correct functioning of the facility both during the Olympic and post Olympic phases have been included. For this purpose, some areas have been organised and can be refurbished at the end of the event.

Internal functions
Areas for athletes' locker rooms and lounges, judges' locker rooms and several areas for the media are concentrated on level -7.5m. The access to this level is by two vehicle ramps and four stairways located at the top of the competition field. The ramps allow the buses of the athletes to enter a parking area with a maximum height of 4.50m. In this way, the athletes can gather in the corridors of the locker rooms and enter the playing field from the facing entryway on the west side to reach the players' benches. Players exit on the opposite east side at the end of the game, in order to create - when returning to the locker rooms - a mixed zone reserved for the media to interview the players as they laeve the rink. The mixed zone is connected directly to the pressroom and athletes' conference room. All the flooring used by the athletes and judges are made of vinyl material suitable for use by players wearing ice skates. The areas at this level are provided with emergency exits to the outer open-air space. A protected stairway directly connects the spaces at level -3.75m where the media lounge, Olympic Family lounge and International Ice Hockey Federation lounge are located, in addition to the offices of the venue management and volunteers. The direct entrances to these areas are separate on level 0.00m with protected staircases and lifts that do not interfere with the flow of people in both directions. From this level, both the Olympic Family and the media have direct access from the stairs next to their respective lounges to the stands reserved for them on the sides opposite the second level by exiting from the perimetric ring at level 6.00m. A covered parking area for 42 cars is located under the technical equipment rooms outside the building on level -3.75m, accessible from the ramps of the vehicle entrance. From the parking, along guarded passages, it is possible to enter the building both from the Olympic Family and from the media side. The ground floor is entirely set aside for the public and large areas for the circulation of people. Spectators enter the facility at level 0.00m and can go to the lower or upper stand without the use of complex stairways, using only the internal stairs of the stands. This enables an uncrowded flow of spectators in the corridors, spread out in large circulation areas. First class and second-class stand seating is organised in rows with a maximum of 20 seats per section along aisles 120 cm wide. The emergency exits are located directly opposite the main internal aisles of the first class stands and the exit stairs of the upper stands. For post-Olympic use, temporary flooring is planned to cover the lower stands to create an area of 130 x 61.4m for special events such as conventions, rock concerts and ceremonies with a maximum seating capacity for 15,000 spectators. The emergency exits are all located at level 0.00m, simplifying the exit of spectators without the use of encumbering emergency stairways. The spectators are separated, in the case of sports events such as the Olympics and according to CONI regulations, in four sectors with separate entrances and exits. There is no internal or external communication between the 4 sectors as they are divided by 1.5m high barriers, each with its own separate toilet facilities facilities and refreshment area. For post-Olympic events other than sports, these barriers will be removed to create a single large area usable by all spectators. Toilet facilities were made larger with respect to Italian regulations to handle more spectators without long waiting lines. They were also concentrated into single units located at set distances near the 8 supporting columns of the central roof and symmetrically along the two sides. They are always accompanied by refreshment areas that provide fast service for spectators and are covered with alveolar polycarbonate sheet with internal lighting. At this height the building is designed with glass windows overlooking the Piazza d'Armi Park (5 metres high) and with rough cement panels on the sides and rear. Of the 8 columns supporting the main roof, the 4 in the corners are used to contain air-conditioning ducts that go up to the roof and channel air to the stands and arena. The rooms at the back include a storage room in the centre to be used as a back-stage for concerts and post-Olympic ceremonies with vehicle access in the rear and goods lifts connected to the underground storage rooms and first aid facilities. The second-class stands from 0.00 level to 12.00 level are designed in a totally different way. The 6 parallel stands along the short sides of the building in sectors A and C were designed to be configured in various ways as mobile stands by using remote controlled machinery to raise and move them. This enables different internal configurations for seating for a variety of post-Olympic uses. The two parallel stands along the long sides of the building in sectors B and D are stands in solid concrete. The solid sector B stand, west side, is arranged to host members of the Olympic Family and athletes during the Olympic event (700 seats + 200 seats) including the 13 stands with a seating capacity of 208. In the post-Olympic phase, 208 seats in the stands and around 150 centre seats for the authorities will remain, or as requested by the future management company. The sector D fixed stand, east side, is arranged to be occupied entirely during the Olympic period by the media present at the event of all types and categories for a total of 870 people. In the post-Olympic phase it will be reduced to 77 media seats for normal use of the facility. The fixed stands on this level can be reached from the underground levels with four stairways and lifts near the four large columns. Another four open stairways connect level 0.00m with this level. In addition, in this flexible configuration, the gallery will have the function of an upper passage to watch a variety of non-sports events in the main central area. The internal façades of this level up to the roof continue the design of the external façades in stainless steel with perforated surface for sound insulation.

Materials and technologies
The new hockey rink was located next to the old stadium, parallel to Corso Galileo Ferraris. The external façades of the hockey rink emphasize the concept of a projecting stainless steel rectangular box suspended over a base in rough cement and glass. The main rectangular section starting from level 5.00m will have double walls covered with stainless steel both internally and externally, supported by internal steel posts. The size of the external panels is 5400x500mm, made up of 316 stainless steel sheeting with internal support and opaque finish bossed with bubbles. The embossed surface gives a "vibrating" effect to the metal façade, emphasizing the "dynamic tensions" in its relationship with the surroundings by reflecting light and the old municipal stadium. The bosses are obtained by roller or compression moulding of stainless steel sheeting The internal panels of the façade are in perforated aluminium sheet with a sound absorbing internal panel to control the diffusion of sound inside. The exterior panels are arranged in a staggered and irregular pattern in order not to reduce the dynamism of the façade to a regular grid. Both thermal and acoustic insulation will be placed between the two wall panels so as not to disturb the surrounding residential areas during concerts or other important ceremonies. The stainless steel box will have a large number of narrow and long horizontal windows, 2700x500mm, arranged in an irregular pattern between the wall panels to give a dynamic effect to the design. These windows are double-glazed on the outside for internal temperature control and have a single glass window that can be opened inside. This solution provides ventilation in the spacing between the two windows avoiding internal condensation enabling periodic cleaning of the space between. The ceilings covering the overhang of the upper structure in steel are designed with stainless steel 5400x500 panels with circular brushed satin finish to continue the upper façade into the inside of the building. These ceilings continue beyond the glass walls of the ground floor completing the stainless steel structure horizontally inside. In this way a large steel box is created that continues inside the building. The front walls of the ground floor are in glass overlooking the Piazza d'Armi Park and in part on the long sides. These glass walls overlooking the park can be opened for large events to create continuity between the internal space of the hockey rink and the park and square in front. The rest of the side walls on the ground floor are in glass fibre reinforced concrete panels or light masonry panels in the same size (5000x1350mm) and length of the glass windows facing the park. This façade in masonry continues the rhythm of the glass façade and has numerous entrances and emergency exits also covered with light masonry panels. This solution avoids making separate openings in the front walls for doors, integrating them in a single continuous volume of rough masonry. External pavement is made with stringcourses of Luserna stone that encircle large areas of cement cast with grey stone chips. The skylight shaft of the underground air space is covered with the same Luserna stone with a footwear proof grate for underground ventilation and neon lighting flush with the ground that lights up the façades from 0m to 5m from the bottom up. To illuminate the façades and pavement of the surrounding area, there are streetlights with three spotlights that can be rotated in all directions to easily light up the stainless steel façade and pedestrian walkways. The streetlights are arranged on Luserna stone stringcourses along with sumps for water drainage and electric power supply for any stands or outside events. The external gates are made of flattened stainless steel sheet attached to fixed steel jambs. On the side facing Piazza d'Armi the gates are mobile on wheels, made of steel tubing covered with flattened steel sheet enabling them to be taken to the store room behind. The transformation makes it possible to eliminate any barriers between the hockey rink and the park in the case of concerts and large events by creating a single urban landscape. The mobile gates are fastened to the ground with pivots normally used for industrial type gates.