Text description provided by the architects. Hong Kong’s first indoor velodrome not only serves elite sport but also the community at large.
For Hong Kong Cycling Team members and local athletes, the velodrome is a dedicated international standard venue where they can hone their skills and avoid long hours travelling to venues in Mainland China. It is also intended as a catalyst for the training up of more local athletes and to enable them to fully realise their potential. Organised track cycling training courses develop the skills necessary for beginners to safely enjoy the fun of track cycling.
For the general public, especially Tseung Kwan O residents, the velodrome and town park are an active encouragement to greater participation in sport and leisure activities. Residents can make reservations for the multi-purpose arena or other activities room as well as enjoying leisure time within the rich greenery and open spaces of the town park. A cascading landscape deck rises from the town park providing physical connections with the velodrome and existing pedestrian footbridges to facilitate public access.
This new facility aims to place Hong Kong firmly on the map of destinations around the world promoting elite sports. The specialized equipment and facilities for track cycling are of the international standards required for world-class events. Its completion marks Hong Kong's achievement in owning a venue that is well suited to hosting large-scale and high-level track-cycling competitions. Both internally and externally, the development provides a veritable smorgasbord of facilities for both elite athletes and the community. The final result is a development destined to become a new Hong Kong landmark.
Design Concept
The elliptical form and distinctive ribbed roof is inspired by the profile of a bicycle helmet. The roof is designed to appear floating above the park which reduces the apparent bulk of the building. Convenient access is also allowed at concourse level around the entire perimeter.
Whilst the primary function of the building is to provide a training base for the Hong Kong Cycling Team, it is also important to provide diversified recreational and sporting facilities for the general public. The venue boasts a 250-metre indoor cycling track with supporting facilities that meets the highest international standards of the Union Cycliste Internationale designation as a Category 1 indoor velodrome. Additional facilities were carefully planned around this and include a multi-purpose arena, fitness room, table-tennis room, dance room, children's playroom together with restaurant and bicycle pro-shop.
Sustainability
The velodrome design incorporates a number of sustainable and environmentally friendly features.
These include a rainwater harvesting system that collects rainwater from the metal roof for irrigation purpose. Rainwater will be stored at a 45 cubic metres harvest tank which can meet 25 percent of daily irrigation demand.
Photovoltaic panels are installed on the roof and can generate up to 34,000kWhr grid-connected electricity per year. This is equivalent to a reduction of 23,800kg CO2 generation and a cost saving of about HK$30,000 on electricity costs per year.
Solar panels are also installed on the roof generating up to 153,000kWhr energy per year or energy for 80 percent of annual hot water consumption equivalent to a reduction of 107,00kg CO2 generation and a cost saving of about HK$140,000 on electricity spending per year.
The heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system is designed to reduce overall energy consumption. High efficiency motors are used for the plumbing equipment, variable air volume system is adopted to reduce air-conditioning energy, AHU system is equipped with energy recovery wheels so as to pre-cool/warm the fresh air.
High efficiency, frictionless chillers were selected, together with an automated building system that continuously monitors the system's performance to entire optimum efficiency. As a result, reductions of up to 30 percent on energy use for a chiller system can be achieved.
