Construction of the Planica Nordic Centre
A new image for the legendary valley
The construction of the Planica Nordic Centre represents one of the largest sports infrastructure projects in Slovenia. A modern nordic centre has been built, which today provides excellent conditions for training, competitions, and the development of nordic disciplines throughout the year.
With a renovated ski flying hill, ski jumps of various sizes, a cross-country skiing centre, and supporting facilities, Planica has become an international venue for major competitions and an important training centre for Slovenian and foreign athletes.
The construction of the Planica Nordic Centre involved a comprehensive arrangement of the area, which today stands as one of the most modern nordic centres in Europe.
Construction of the chairlift and service road, maintenance work on the ski flying hill
The first activities began in 2007 with the purchase of land. By acquiring ownership, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia also assumed the obligations to maintain and invest in the infrastructure. In setting our priorities, we were guided by the fact that the World Ski Flying Championships were to be held in 2010.
By that time, at the request of FIS, we had:
• filled the landing area with soil according to the same profile used at the last World Cup competition,
• prepared the landing area, which must be 33.30 meters wide at 185 meters, 37 meters at 215 meters, 38.5 meters at 240 meters, and 40 meters at point U (the fall line),
• renovated or rebuilt the safety fences,
• extended the safety fences in the upper part of the landing area (from 18.5 meters to the takeoff table),
• measured the differences between the starting gates, which may be no more than 40 centimeters (measured vertically),
• prepared booths for judges,
• installed a wall in front of the judge, which must be one meter high,
• rebuilt or repaired all stairs and paths from the bottom to the takeoff area, and
• built a new cable car from the bottom to the top of the takeoff ramp.
Execution of construction and installation works:
KOMIN inženiring d.o.o.
Total value of work done – the Gorišek Brothers Ski Flying Hill:
1.407.326,34 €.
SGP TEHNIK d.d.
Total value of work done – chairlift:
1.669.020,00 €.
GOZDNO GOSPODARSTVO BLED d.o.o.
Total value of work done – service road: 215.202,18 €.
Committee for the construction of the Planica Nordic Centre
The committee for the construction of the Planica National Centre consisted of:
• Mojca Plestenjak, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
• Jelko Gros, ZŠRS Planica
• Daniel Oblak, ZŠRS Planica
• Franci Petek, SZS
• Primož Finžgar, SZS, and
• Peter Petriček, SZS
The committee played a key role in improving the program and construction solutions developed through the architectural competition. A representative from the ministry was responsible for financing from the European Regional Development Fund, while the management of the investment and subsequent operation of the new infrastructure were entrusted to representatives of the ZŠRS Planica (the sports institute of the Republic of Slovenia).
The committee reviewed and approved the entire investment documentation. Members proposed additions to the sports technology solutions, which the designers successfully incorporated into the project. The committee approved the conceptual designs for the individual components of the investment.
Architectural competition
The commission conducted the evaluation based on the competition brief and tender documents, its own interpretation of the competition brief, and a review of the submitted proposals. The evaluation was also significantly based on the opinions of experts in ski jumping and cross-country skiing, event organization, nature conservation, and cultural heritage protection.
After a detailed review of the proposals and a discussion, the committee concluded that the most important factor in the evaluation was the relationship to the entire symbolic context of Planica, including the integration of the architecture into the surrounding space.
Solutions that were convincingly integrated into the landscape and, in a restrained and respectful manner toward nature and heritage, enhanced it with new structures and arrangements, received higher scores. The second evaluation criterion defined by the commission was the functional aspect of the solutions, which gave meaning to the interventions and supported the development expectations of the Planica Nordic Centre.
Renovation of the Bloudek’s Giant ski jump
Renovation of both ski jumps took 15 months, from July 2011 to October 2012.
The opening jumps were performed simultaneously on October 14, 2012, by Aleš Hlebanja (on the large hill) and Primož Peterka (on the medium hill).
The large hill (HS 139 metres) stands on the exact same location as the old Bloudek’s Giant ski jumping hill (“Bloudkova velikanka”), while the medium-sized hill (HS 104 metres) is located next to it. The name “Bloudkova velikanka” is protected as a cultural monument, just like the hill’s axis itself.
Execution of construction and installation works:
GH Holding d.d.
Total value of work done:
5.815.866,98 EUR
Equipment suppliers:
Plastic components – OYC.E. Lindgren, snow retention system – Seil-Frey, snow groomer for preparing the inrun – Punt international d.o.o., inrun track – Mana Original d.o.o., inrun track freezing system – Kota d.o.o.
Construction of the children and youth ski jumping hills
The children’s and youth ski jumps are located between the Bloudek giant hill and the Gorišek brothers’ ski flying hill. They were built between April 2013 and February 2014. The youth jumps measure HS 80 m and HS 61 m, while the children’s jumps measure HS 45 m, HS 30 m, and HS 15 m. An inclined elevator is located between them, and its position allows for easy access to all inrun ramps and, consequently, an even greater number of jumps in a single training session.
Execution of construction and installation works:
Gorenjska gradbena družba d.d.
Total value of work done:
4.023.699,28 EUR
Equipment suppliers:
Inclined elevator – Riko d.o.o., torrent crossings – Hidrotehnik d.d., plastic components – OYC.E. Lindgren, snow retention system – Seil-Frey, snow groomer for preparing the inrun – Punt international d.o.o., inrun track – Mana Original d.o.o., and winch system – Dr. Duhovnik d.o.o.
Construction of the service building Čaplja
In the service building Čaplja there is a control centre for the ski jumps operation, changing rooms, ski service, a storage facility for the equipment, and a common place for athletes.
The contractor, Imos d.d., completed work on the building in time for the World Cup competition in 2014.
After the competition, ZŠRS Planica terminated its contract with the contractor because the work was not proceeding according to schedule. The institute carried out a new public procurement procedure and selected a new contractor, who completed the work and rectified the deficiencies.
The construction of the service building Čaplja lasted from April 2013 to March 2014.
Through the public procurement procedure a new contractor, Kolektor Koling, was selected and completed the work in November 2015. As part of the Čaplja service facility, Riko d.o.o. installed a pumping station for the snowmaking system, a ski jump irrigation system, and a central control system.
Execution of construction and installation works until the termination of the contract:
IMOS d.d.
Total value of work done:
2.967.767,31 EUR
Execution of construction and installation works after the termination of the contract:
Kolektor Koling d.o.o.
Total value of work done:
594.031,51 EUR
Installation of the snowmaking and irrigation system:
Riko d.o.o.
Total value of work done:
785.648,45 EUR
Construction of the the Gorišek Brothers Ski Flying Hill
