Schoolchildren on a break from lessons, townies out for a stroll, walkers in need of a rest or youngsters playing basketball – whatever the season or time of day, Copenhagen’s Israels Plads (Israel Square), completed in December 2014, offers many different vibes. At the heart of the 12,500 square metre site is a dark grey oval surface with a round asphalt streetball pitch for handball, football and basketball in the centre. The dark grey surface surrounding the pitch is some 1,350 square metres in size, and its wave-like slopes make it an ideal spot for sitting, reclining and cheering on friends in the teams. For the surface material, the planners opted for the 40 mm thick Polytan S synthetic surface comprising two layers of highly compressed granules. This non-slip all-round sports surface can be used all year round because it is water permeable and so dries out quickly. The light grey Polytan FS soft-impact surface of the play area near the entrance of the underground car park was also installed by the company. On closer inspection, both surfaces seem to change colour constantly – a detail that particularly impressed the architects.
