OPENING OF GERMANY’S FIRST TEXTILE-SHEATHED SPORTS HALL IN GRIESHEIM, SOUTHERN HESSE

The town of Griesheim in the county of Darmstadt-Dieburg has been enriched with a sustainable and innovative sports facility: on 27 May 2020, the town inaugurated Germany’s first sports hall with a textile shell. A project by SMC2, a specialist in timber construction and textile architecture.

In the summer of 2015, TuS Griesheim, together with the school authorities of the county of Darmstadt-Dieburg and the city of Griesheim, developed the idea of joint financing for a sports hall in lightweight construction. Now, five years later, the flagship project is finally complete.

The hall, which cost around 1.5 million euros to build, was realised by the company SMC2 under the supervision of architects Wolfgang Berge and Michael Schröer-Becker and the client, TuS Griesheim. In contrast to conventional sports halls, the lightweight hall has a filigree structure made of glulam and a fabric envelope for its roof and upper façade. The textile membrane is translucent and offers three main advantages: natural lighting (daylight shines through the fabric), optimal acoustics by reducing the echo effect and thermal comfort thanks to its low thermal inertia.

The innovative design is characterised by low investment costs and durability. Compared to a conventional gymnasium, electricity and heating costs are saved and only environmentally friendly building materials such as wood from sustainably managed forests, recyclable steel and reusable textile membranes are used.

The new gymnasium in Griesheim, designed as a pure training hall without a stand, measures approximately 25 m x 45 m and has a playing height of 7 m. The area can be divided into 3 fields with 2 nets. If necessary, it can be heated to an ambient temperature of 12°C using gas radiators, which corresponds to a perceived temperature of 14-16°C for the athletes. The hall is equipped with energy-saving LED floodlights and the high-quality sports floor is applied on a mastic asphalt surface. A dehumidification system ensures a pleasant indoor climate even during peak periods. The new hall thus offers everything a sportsman’s heart desires!