Chybik + Kristof Win Competition for Czech Arena

Construction is slated to begin next year with a target completion of 2023, when the impact of COVID-19 should be in the past and crowds will once again assemble indoors for sporting events. The Jihlava Multipurpose Arena, as the name implies, will not just be a venue for hockey and basketball; it will also be used for exhibitions, performances, and other events.

Chybik + Kristof's winning design will be built upon the deteriorated remains of a sports arena dating back to 1956. Per a press release, the new arena will "expand into a four-building multifunctional center bringing together an adaptable ice rink, a rooftop running track and a gym as well as a sports academy, hospitality establishments and shops." It is intended that the four-building "urban stadium" — two of the four buildings already exist — will "melt" into the surrounding urban landscape, which is on the edge of Jihlava’s historical core.

Ondřej Chybík and Michal Krištof outline the sociocultural significance of the project in the press release:

"We envisioned the Jihlava Multipurpose Arena as a deeply versatile complex, whose various functions are reflected at once in the technical structure, the landscaping and the aesthetics of the buildings. In integrating multiple purposes, we took significant consideration of their various audiences, thereby seeking to reflect the city’s diverse social and generational communities and to encourage their interactions. More than a center for sports and events, the arena is a social campus for the city – used by the people, thereby designed for the people."