EXarchitects was proud to work on a proposal for a high performance training field for a first division team in the Spanish soccer league.

The client needed a lightweight, transparent enclosure to cover a regulatory training field in which to simulate the environmental conditions of any place in the world where the team could compete. In other words, a sort of “giant hyperbaric chamber” with opacity control and built-in lighting.

EXarchitects designed a lightweight parametric structure. Specifically, a self-supporting dual spatial mesh. The outer face of the mesh is polygonal, resembling a soccer ball. The inner face and the connection between the two meshes is resolved with triangles, achieving a great slenderness in the bars.

To achieve the desired level of transparency and light control, an ETFE facade was proposed. In order to improve the economic feasibility and timeframe, the structure was regularized, limiting the number of different parts to a minimum.

The proposal was carried out in record time and was very well received, but a premature change of coach caused a change in the club’s priorities and the project was not continued.

Project data

Project name: High performance training field
Project: EXarchitects
Status: Preliminary project
Year: 2015
Typology: Corporate architecture
Location: Madrid.