The Saint-Ouen skating rink was designed by architect Paul Chemetov. Inaugurated on October 25, 1980, after several years of construction work and interruptions, the Saint-Ouen skating rink could accommodate almost 400 people. You could take to the ice on the 56 m x 26 m rink. Find out more about the history of the Saint-Ouen skating rink, its architecture and current use.
The Saint-Ouen skating rink closed for good in 2022. The building is listed as remarkable heritage. Consultations were held to determine how best to use the site. It was decided that from now on it would host events! The first event to be held at the skating rink is the Urbain de Paname street art exhibition in 2022/2023.
In the years following the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, the popularity of sliding sports exploded. This led to the construction of numerous ice rinks across the country. Saint-Ouen, in the Seine-Saint-Denis département, was one of the first communes to invest in this new type of sports facility, following in the footsteps of Neuilly-sur-Marne (1973) and Le Raincy (1975).
The Saint-Ouen skating rink was inaugurated on October 25, 1980, following construction delays due to financial difficulties encountered by SERAF.
To finance the construction of the rink, the city entered into an agreement with SERAF (Société d'étude et de réalisations des applications du froid). In exchange for a 30-year concession, SERAF financed the project. At one point, it was planned to include a bowling alley and shops in the program, but in the end only a supermarket was fitted out on the first floor.
The architect chosen for the project was Paul Chemetov, who had close ties with the town's mayor, Fernand Lefort. Chemetov had already completed several housing and public facility projects in Seine-Saint-Denis. Although he had never designed a skating rink before, he had recognized expertise in designing swimming pools.
Unfortunately, over the years, the rink suffered from a lack of recognition and maintenance. It was closed in 2020 for safety reasons and, in September 2022, the municipality of Saint-Ouen announced its definitive closure. Although no demolition is planned for the time being, the building will be reallocated to another use.
Despite these challenges, the Saint-Ouen skating rink remains an impressive example of engineering prowess, offering unexpected views of the city through its exterior staircases and large bay window.
The Saint-Ouen skating rink was designed by Paul Chemetov. The building was created high up due to a lack of floor space. Four pillars support the structure, as do the two 90 m-long monumental beams.
The Saint-Ouen skating rink project proved to be a complex challenge from the outset. The program called for a spacious rink capable of hosting the teams of the French Ice Hockey Federation. However, the chosen site had insufficient floor space to meet these requirements. In addition, the project called for the construction of a three-level underground parking lot with two separate access ramps. These constraints resulted in high construction costs, as well as significant expenses for the operation and maintenance of the rink once it was built.
The site chosen for the Saint-Ouen rink was an unused lot in the city center. However, space constraints forced the architect to find a creative solution. The skating rink and bleachers were raised, leaving the space below free. The rink's structure rested on four 4-metre-square reinforced concrete pillars, which housed the elevators and spanned the three levels of parking. These pillars also supported the beams that held up the pre-stressed cantilevered floor, enabling it to span the two lanes of Rue du Docteur Bauer. Two 90-meter-long main steel beams were integrated into the structure, adding a monumental touch to the rink.
If you'd like to skate, take a look at the list of skating rinks in Seine-Saint-Denis!
Discover the Saint-Ouen skating rink on a tour of Saint-Ouen, where you can find out what there is to do in Saint-Ouen.
Getting there
Mairie de Saint-Ouen
Mairie de Saint-Ouen
