Rafsanjan Sport Complex

Rafsanjan, Iran

The design of this sports complex draws on the typology of the traditional icehouses of southern Iran. In a similar manner to the icehouses, it combines an opaque volume (the cone-shaped dome) with transparent elements (the wall and the diagonal glazed roof that divides indoor and outdoor pools). All internal walls are of brick and exposed concrete, which helps preserve the spatial integrity of the interior despite the diversity of the programme (gymnasia, pools, saunas, restaurant, etc.). The structure is reinforced concrete: external walls are double-layered and insulated.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture

See also:

"Rafsanjan Sport Complex." Official Website of the Naqsh,e,Jahan Pars Consulting Engineers. http://www.njp-arch.com/projects/p_c/C_18.htm. [Accessed January 17, 2007]