Spaladium Center

Spaladium Centar, sports and business complex is located on the northern part of the Split peninsula, in the vicinity of Poljud, a sports complex with a football field and pool built for The Mediterranean Games in 1979.
Spaladium Centar will consiss of a handball arena for 12,000 spectators (already built), a wellness center, a sky bar and an exclusive restaurant on the top floor overlooking the entire city, its surroundings and the islands of the Split archipelago (the investor is planning to complete the rest of the complex in 2010.). There are 1,500 garage parking places. The shopping center will guarantee visits even when the handball arena is not in use. The arena itself is a multi-purpose hall. In addition to handball, the arena will be used for basketball, tennis, volleyball, boxing, motocross, and will also be a venue for trade fairs, conventions, exhibitions and concerts.
With this complex Split will get a sports, entertainment, culture and recreation venue that will activate and reaffirm the northern part of the Split peninsula.
The complex achieves a balance between the low-lying main area and the tower’s verticality. The agreement between the horizontal and vertical is in its composition and urban planning set in order to place the location with special importance. It resembles a ship carrier: a platform with various attractive contents, with its vertical element serving as a landmark, lighthouse and location sign. It is an entrance to the new city area, its future and gateway to the northern harbor.
The complex is integrated into a compact unit by its shape, and is unified by a distinct exterior that binds functionally different elements and usages throughout the year.

Spaladium Center by Saša Begovic in Croatia won the WA Award Cycle 5. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.