Ceramic facade of the OLIVO SPORTS ARENA

Tejas Borja makes a made-to-measure ceramic grid for the facade of the OLIVO SPORTS ARENA in Jaén.

Opened in April 2021, the Olivo Sports Arena is one of the latest large public construction projects to be completed. It is located in the Jaén Provincial Trade Fair and Conference Centre (IFEJA) and covers 41,300 square metres. With an oval-shape design and a sports field in its centre, the building is about 50 metres long and 30 metres wide.

It is a unique sports venue designed to be used for professional competitions in indoor football, basketball, handball and tennis, as well as to host large events such as concerts and other cultural activities.

The versatility of the space was planned so it could house large-scale events attended by up to 10,000 people. To this end it has fixed seating, and retractable seating which can be folded away. The building is also an addition to IFEJA’s current facilities and can add 3,320 square metres to the EXPOLIVA trade fair.

While the design of all the interior features takes into account sporting events, the design of the outside of the building seeks to reflect the essence of the region. Over a stone-like exterior, a flexible skin was designed to hang from a metal structure. This skin is made up of ceramic pieces in a range of tones which reflect the most characteristic colours of the province, from the ochres of Jaen’s nature reserves to the green of locally-grown olives. The upper part of the facade also has a crenelated design to remind viewers that Jaén is the area of Europe with the largest number of castles and fortresses.

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The enclosure of the facade had to reflect the versatile nature of the building. The flexible skin was made using ceramic elements mounted on a steel structure which cover the building in the colours of olive tree leaves.

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As well as providing an aesthetic function, the ceramic facade also reduces the solar radiation which affects the building, protecting the interior from heat.
Tejas Borja was the company chosen to develop and make the ceramic pieces and their glazes in various colours, as determined by the mangers of the project.

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The company, whose main activity is the manufacture of all kinds of ceramic tiles, is very versatile when it comes to adapting its manufacturing processes to make made-to-measure ceramic pieces for projects. Moreover, the company also has a technical department with considerable experience in creating unique pieces for special projects such as the Olivo Arena.

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The Olivo Arena project also stands out because of its high level of energy efficiency, thanks in part to its air conditioning system and the interior and exterior LED lighting. Furthermore, particular emphasis was placed on thermal and acoustic insulation and in recovering rain water for water supply and irrigation, thereby reducing operating and maintenance costs drastically.

The Olivo Sports Arena in Jaén is without doubt a modern venue and a landmark project for Andalucia, one which is remarkable for its versatility, accessibility and simplicity.

The project to build the Olivo Sports Arena was tendered in 2019, constructed by Acciona to the specified deadline, and paid for by the Regional Government of Andalucia and the Jaén Provincial Government. This magnificent publically-owned sports venue is one of the most important which has ever been built in Jaén.

custom project, arquitectura, ceramic,

11 de June de 2021