HOK announces design details for Primavera Arena project in Colombia

The venue, scheduled to open in 2026, is expected to significantly enhance Medellín’s entertainment and cultural landscape.

HOK has unveiled the design of Primavera Arena in Sabaneta, which is part of the Medellín metropolitan area. The 55,000sqm (592,000sqft) multi-purpose arena will have a 16,000-seat capacity.

The arena is a critical element of the Sabaneta Urban Renewal Master Plan, including a comprehensive 14-hectare (34.5-acre) development with entertainment, green spaces and new infrastructure.

Encircling the arena is a spacious pedestrian plaza shaded by an overhead canopy designed to resemble the base of a traditional silleteros chair, a cultural symbol of the region and an intrinsic icon of Medellín’s International Flower Festival. The digital canopies provide shelter for visitors navigating between the arena entrance and surrounding shops, restaurants and a future metro station.

The facade’s vibrant reddish hues echo the iconic colour palette of the Aburrá Valley region and are punctuated with LED’s that enable the building envelope to change.

Incorporating elements based on indigenous textiles and designed by local firm Hechizoo, the facade interweaves heritage and artisanship. Evoking the colourful guayacán trees dotting the landscape, the building form pays homage to the rich cultural tradition of the Antioquian silleteros flower farmers.

HOK Senior Design Professional, Carlos Delabarrera, said:

Our goal is to capture the essence of this region through artistic and culturally resonant design. From the colour palette complementing the surrounding mountainsides to abstract references of the silleteros in the pedestrian canopy, every design choice amplifies what makes this place in Colombia unique.

Primavera Arena will have a multi-use concourse and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views and 14 restaurants. There are 22 luxury suites, 20 flexible open boxes and accessible spaces for individuals with reduced mobility.

With a focus on sustainability, HOK’s design incorporates strategies such as natural ventilation, daylighting and water conservation systems that position Primavera Arena as Colombia’s first carbon-neutral entertainment venue.

The arena’s location next to the Mayorca Shopping Center and close proximity to the Itagüí Metro station aims to promote the use of public transportation. The project will include 450 automobile parking spaces along with provisions for bicycle storage to accommodate access by various modes of transport.