KAYSERI ICE RING BY BAHADIR KUL ARCHITECTS

Community and recreation come together under the organic forms of this Turkish ice rink

Maybe it’s the summer heat, but an ice rink currently sounds like an excellent place to be. And it would be even better if we were at the Kayseri Ice Ring, just outside of Kayseri, Turkey.

Designed by Turkish architects Bahadır Kul Architects, the ice ring is a colorful, fluid structure that emerges from the ground like an ice floe. The arctic white exterior and organic forms of the entrance and windows represent the relationship between ice and air, particularly ice as it relates to global warming. The empty spaces seem to reference an absence, melting ice.

However, the rink enters into the community’s global conscience more as a place to be active and involved. The colorful windows add a dynamic element that hints at the building’s purpose as a center for entertainment and activity. It was also designed with public areas, including a cafe and lounge, that make it capable of hosting an array of public and social events.