Julie Kaalby Bjerre

Sports facilities can create value far beyond the activities they accommodate. Design decisions influence who feels welcome, who participates, and whether a place strengthens health, belonging, and community over time. In this session, Darryl Condon presents The Ripple Effect, a perspective on how the user experience can be placed at the center of facility planning and design to create lasting social impact. The discussion is illustrated through Egmont Højskolen's universally designed movement and activity area, presented by Julie Kaalby Bjerre from LYTT Architecture, showing how user-centered and universal design can be translated into practice.

The sports facility is being redefined. New participation patterns, climate and resource pressures, and growing expectations of inclusion require architecture to do more than provide space for a fixed programme. Bringing together architects from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway and Sweden, the panel compares different approaches to opening facilities to more users, extending the value of existing buildings, creating social value and developing adaptable environments for the future. The conversation brings together key perspectives from throughout the day and turns them into priorities for the next generation of sports facilities.