In addition to hosting trade fairs and special events, the hall is designed to serve as an ice-skating arena during the winter months. Internally, the floor area or ice rink is enclosed on three sides by stands. The northern stand can be telescoped together as the need arises. The stands were designed with a maximum degree of transparency, so that the construction to the rear remains visible. Ancillary areas, such as the entrance zone, changing rooms and storage spaces, are housed in low-rise, flat structures around the periphery.
The load-bearing structure of the hall – in a mixed form of construction consisting of arched girders and lattice framing – has been left largely exposed. It thus has a strong influence on the appearance of the internal space, accentuating the dynamic quality of the elliptical cross-section. The upper chords of the steel lattice girders are curved in a single direction and built into the prefabricated roof elements. This allowed the soffit to be constructed as a closed surface, which was in accordance with the design concept and also of advantage acoustically. The individual roof units are 5 × 5 m in size and are held in position by the raking struts of the latticework. Ventilation ducts and electrical runs were incorporated in the elements at works.
The lower chords are three-dimensionally curved and connected to each other by means of diagonal members, so that a cross-framing effect is achieved. The individual girders are stable in the direction of their span and braced laterally by the roof elements. The points of support are constructed as rigid connections, whereas the two segments of the arch are linked at the crest with a hinged joint.
