Richmond Olympic Oval

This signature venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is a $178 million complex that includes a landmark multipurpose sports, recreation, and community facility on Richmond’s waterfront, along with the City Centre Waterfront Park and public plaza. In addition to catalyzing the transformation of the riverfront into a high-density, urban neighborhood, the Richmond Olympic Oval will also provide a venue for community events in the future, creating a legacy extending far beyond its immediate purpose.

In the Richmond Olympic Oval, waste heat produced in the creation of ice may be used to heat the building. The city of Richmond also may create an innovative thermal utility that will utilize the waste heat to provide low-cost heating and cooling for the entire new 32-acre urban waterfront neighborhood being created around the Oval. Optimization of the building envelope, particularly the 20-hectare roof, and development of a highly efficient mechanical system are among the other primary strategies contributing to the building’s projected energy performance of 42% below the Model National Energy Building Code.

Rainwater collected from the Oval’s massive roof is stored both inside the building, to supplement toilet flushing, and outside in a pond in front of the Oval for use in irrigating surrounding trees and landscaping. Marsh plants populating the pond provide natural water purification, improving the quality of water in the connected Hollybridge Canal. Sustainable materials include a 100-by-200-meter ceiling made of wood salvaged from British Columbia trees ravaged by pine beetles, as well as low-VOC paints, coatings, laminates, and sealants. With a design solution that optimizes energy use, environmental health, and aesthetic value, the Oval has achieved LEED Silver certification.
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Richmond Olympic Oval Media Kit

Emphasizing lightness, transparency, and translucency, the interiors of the Richmond Olympic Oval mitigate the facility’s large scale and reveal the myriad functions within. To offset the building’s highly expressive and complex architecture – exemplified by its iconic “heron wing” roof – the Oval’s interiors employ a simple color palette and durable, easily maintained materials, with finishes ranging from sealed concrete to sumptuous tile. Low-VOC solvents, non-PVC tiles, highly reduced content masonry, and site-harvested wood help achieve the facility’s mandated LEED Silver standard.

Glowing yellow and orange translucent glass sheathing highlights elevator towers and feature stairs, striking a contrast with large-scale structural concrete features. Circulation routes, nodes, and program destinations are well marked by a colorful, highly visible interior wayfinding system. A canopy of overlapping edge-lit planes leads visitors from a three-story entrance lobby to activity spaces. Displays of sports imagery grace the central circulation spine; boldly colored entry portals telegraph key activity zones.