Report by: Peter Ahlström, Head of Sports Strategy, City of Stockholm
The ‘Träffpunkt Idrott’ sports summit is Nordic's leading forum for public health through physical activity: a three-day conference with a total of 48 seminars. IAKS Nordic acted once again as co-organizer and gathered international IAKS experts on 12 March who shared their latest findings. The ‘international day’ saw presentations from Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. The conference is held every two years and attracts around 1,000 participants, including representatives from municipalities, sports organizations, politics, research, education, and manufacturers.
The Träffpunkt idrott programme was structured around five themes:
- Sustainable facilities and spaces
- Human movement
- Innovation, technology, and digitalization
- Building pools for the future
- Active cities and communities – exploratory design
IAKS Nordic contributed to the program planning and provided lectures and workshops on the theme of ‘active cities and communities – exploratory design’. IAKS program sessions were well-attended and sparked many engaging conversations between seminar sessions.
Who is this for?
photo credits: Annika Banaya Timverman
Darryl Condon, HCMA Managing Principal and IAKS Vice President, opened his presentation at Träffpunkt idrott with the question "Who is this for?" He urged participants to shift their perspective and consider aspects beyond accessibility standards, focusing on building welcoming, inclusive, and accessible sports facilities. Sports facilities that everyone can enjoy and benefit from. This opening question not only served as the title of Darryl's presentation but also as a guiding description of the content presented in numerous lectures throughout the conference.
Development of existing spaces
photo credits: Annika Banyay Tiverman
Lisa Mari Watson, Tverga Managing Director and IAKS Nordic board member, lectured on how a paved schoolyard was transformed into a popular space for play and movement, even after school hours. By creatively integrating nature into the schoolyard, it became an exciting place for children.
Many of the conference lectures and workshops focused on developing existing spaces into inspiring and dynamic environments for movement, based on modern needs and sustainable solutions. This involves multifunctional spaces that accommodate diverse interests for various purposes. Harald Fux, CEO of architecture firm Raum+ and IAKS Austria President, led one of the conference's popular workshops together with Marcel Aberle, trend and future analyst. They used an urban development project in Hamburg, Germany as a case study.
Building and operating swimming pools
photo credits: Dr Stefan Kannewischer
Aquatic facilities are highly specialised and complicated projects. Building and operating public swimming pools is associated with significant complexity. Those planning new constructions often face numerous questions and considerations. Dr Stefan Kannewischer, IAKS President and co-author of the latest IAKS Pool Expert Circle white paper (Getting your public pool facility right), shared his expertise on how successful decision-making leads to better solutions.
IAKS as a knowledge provider
André Flatner, Frederikstad Kommun Sports Director and IAKS Nordic President, says:
‘It's clear that IAKS has an important and appreciated role in promoting the development of sports facilities and active environments. By sharing knowledge and experiences with others, IAKS can contribute to a more active and equitable society, where everyone has the opportunity to participate in sports and physical activity.’
