Steppe Arena

The Steppe Arena (Mongolian: Степпе Арена), also known as the Ice Palace, is an indoor ice hockey arena under construction in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia.
Construction.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Steppe Arena was held on April 15, 2019 with Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga leading the ceremony. Construction is projected to be finished within 16 months and the facility is expected to open in 2021.
Architecture and design.
In 2018, Steppe Arena LLC, a Mongolian company engaged in sports and cultural events, launched a project to build indoor ice hockey rink in country as their first project. They have tasked local firm Anagram LLC to work on the architectural plan of the indoor arena and they were aided by the Embassy of Canada in Mongolia who provided connections with architects who are experienced in building similar large-scale sports facility. Steppe Arena LLC has signed a cooperation memorandums with Canadian firms DA Architecture Limited and HDR | CEI Architecture Associates to help them work on the project allowing the design team to study ice rinks of varying scale in Canada.
One of the factors considered in designing the arena is Mongolia's extreme climate which can get as cold as in the winter and as hot as in the summer.
The Steppe Arena will measure long and wide and will have a seating capacity to accommodate 2,600 people. The Mongolian architects who worked on the building preferred a modern design for the arena and did not want to draw inspiration from historical references such as the country's yurts.
Use.
As Mongolia's first indoor ice arena, the Steppe Arena is primarily intended for winter sports such as ice hockey, figure skating, curling, and short track speed skating. Special elastic cover could be used to overlay the ice rink so it can be used for other indoor sports such as basketball, boxing, gymnastics, taekwondo, volleyball, and wrestling tournaments as well as for concerts and cultural events. It is also expected to be the future home venue of the Mongolian national ice hockey teams.