Expert Circles | IAKS Worldwide

Mission and intent of the IAKS Expert Circles

IAKS members are professionals who represent all aspects of active living. Many members are associated with a specific area of expertise or interest in the broad range of sports and leisure facilities. These include ownership (public and private sector), operations, planning and design, construction, equipment, and specialized sports finishes. The focus of members ranges from community-scaled facilities and programs to professional multipurpose venues for internationals events and competitions.

IAKS has established the IAKS Expert Circles as an international forum for the discussion of specific issues, trends and expectations relative to the respective area of interest. The IAKS recognizes that while there is a shared vision of the purpose and expectations of sports and leisure facilities, this is often regional or national in its reach and often is not part of an international conversation. The ultimate intent of the IAKS Expert Circles is to provide a transfer of knowledge at planning, technical, and operating requirements for the specific area of interest.

Swimming Pool Expert Circle

2019 03 - pool expert circle - meeting in Malmo - group in front of Hylliebadet

Expert Circle "Swimming Pool" at 4th meeting in Sweden in March 2019
photo: IAKS

Team Leader: Dr Stefan Kannewischer (Kannewischer Management AG)

Founded: June 2017

Based on the experiences which the pool experts have been exchanging throughout their meetings they compiled the brochure “IAKS Future Trends for Pools”. The future trends identified range from topics such as inclusivity, places for socialising, competing demands on public finances and digital transformation, and many more.

The experts meet once or twice a year to discuss country-specific aspects from technical issues to visitor behaviour. How are pool projects successfully implemented? How can targets be achieved across the entire pool lifecycle?

Sports Hall Expert Circle

Team Leader:
Karin Schwarz-Viechtbauer (OEISS)
Harald Fux (Raumkunst)

Founded: April 2019

The Sports Hall Expert Circle is dedicated to discuss:

Challenging the concept of standardized sports halls to discuss more appealing and more modern models (programme and design)
Developing modules for usage patterns and spatial qualities of sports halls
Discussing the planning process for sports halls

Expert Circle Sports Halls_meeting on 20190426_Bernard Kössler Hamburger Sportbund 650.jpg

Expert Circle "Sports Halls" at first meeting in Austria in April 2019
photo: Hamburger Sportbund

from left to right: Klaus Meinel, Karin Schwarz-Viechtbauer, Bernard Kössler, Flemming Overgaard, Roger Gut, Harald Fux, Jürgen Widler

International Ice Facilities Expert Circle

2019 Expert Circle Ice Rinks_Inaugural meeting

The International Ice Facilities Expert Circle gathers international experts who design, supply, install and operate ice facilities either permanent or temporary.

Team Leader: Mark Hentze (HDR Architects Inc.)
Founded: November 2019

The participants identified differences between North American and European approaches. The development of ice facilities in North American and especially Canada are a vital part of the sports and recreation experience. As part of strategy for programming and operational efficiency, there is a tendency to now building double pads as a minimum with triple and quadruple pads gaining in popularity. In Europe however there is very little development of community arenas driven by programs. Instead, there is typically some level of spectator seating so the facilities tend to offer both sports programs and ticketed sports events. There is a fundamental difference between European and North American approaches with the Europeans using a direct refrigeration system while North Americans use an indirect one.