Outside Romania the name Transylvania still triggers associations with vampire novels and barely populated forest regions. The contrast with reality in the 21st century could hardly be greater. Cluj-Napoca, the unofficial capital of the region, is set in charming landscape. Its roots go back to the 13th century. Today, trilingual universities and numerous cultural offerings shape the lives of its 325,000 inhabitants. Popular sports are naturally also a part of the way of life in this urban environment. Considering that fact the La Terenuri sports facility, an investment of over 6 million euros, was recently constructed in the Mănăștur district. Since its opening in July, it has offered people of all age groups free access to sports and leisure activities of all kinds. The multifunctional indoor areas and above all the spacious outdoor facilities are the main attraction of the 4.2 hectare site. They include both traditional sports fields, courses with fitness equipment and playgrounds.

Durable, convenient and attractive: CONICA systems

The biggest challenge when conceiving the facilities was getting the design and functionality right. Since they are freely accessible, their use cannot be regulated or controlled. Rules such as “Enter in sports shoes only” or other house rules cannot be imposed nor monitored. Nevertheless, the aim was to avoid any restrictions on the design. Instead, the plans of architectural firm Arhi BOX envisaged a sophisticated, innovative design that would attract visitors of all ages, from young children taking their first steps on the playground to ambitious young amateur athletes, to retired peoples wanting to maintain their mobility. One particular challenge was the colour scheme, which called for very specific mixtures and shades. For this reason, the contractor, the Indfloor Group, used floor coverings from CONICA. They were installed on sports areas of all kinds: tennis courts, basketball and volleyball courts, a badminton court, a running track, fitness trails and a playground. A total of 6,600 m2 of high-end flooring was laid. In detail, the following systems were used:

• Base 35 mm in combination with CONIPUR EPDM 8 mm

• ET Soccer 30 mm in combination with CONIPUR EPDM 8 mm

• CONIPUR PG 4 cm

The designers were given full creative freedom, as CONICA was able to provide these coverings in any RAL colour shades and mixtures. They gave the facility a very unique appearance that clearly stands out from standard “off-the-peg” solutions. Thanks to the many design possibilities, La Terenuri has become a reference project for Arhi BOX and the Indfloor Group and is highly valued for its visual appeal. Local residents can enjoy a sports facility that will perform its function and maintain its extraordinary aesthetic appearance for many years to come due to the high-quality of materials used.