Velodrome and indoor sports arena
In 1996, an outdoor cycling track or a velodrome was built in Novo mesto, along with bleachers and a multi-purpose asphalt platform, to host the junior world championship in cycling. The authors of the complex were Marjan Zupanc, Špela Kuhar, and Aleš Bizjak. The purpose of the new construction was to cover the existing sports facility with an inflatable membrane, which offers protection against adverse weather conditions and allows longer use of sports tracks. The upgrade added new programs to the velodrome. The backbone of the design is the existing 250-meter cycling track, which is compatible with a circular 200-meter athletic track. From the architectural point of view, the construction is divided into a reinforced concrete base, in which the entrances to the building are located, and a prefabricated inflatable membrane anchored on it. The two-layer insulating membrane covering the velodrome features radial air chambers which compose the large roof surface.