Stadiums and arenas

Our sports cities knowledge has no equal: over 150 designs, more than two dozen have been realized or are still in process — all over the world — in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. We build sports facilities for multiple purposes: for the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Euros, swimming, athletics, basketball, and cultural events. With up to 76,000 seats. With our expert partners, we design complex and ultramodern constructions, often including movable roof structures. We always take into account regional requirements, safety, and social responsibility: our designs evoke special moments for people. The buildings are sustainable and considered to be respectful additions to the respective cities.

Have a look at a selection of the most impressive stadiums and arenas by gmp:

Arena Verona, Italy

Competition, first prize — The arena in Verona, one of the largest and best preserved amphitheaters dating from Roman times and accorded the status of a UNESCO world cultural heritage site, is nowadays used for the performance of operas and concerts. The competition-winning roof design proposed by gmp Architects and schlaich bergermann partner includes a compression ring, which is clearly raised above the arena and holds the retractable membrane construction. The new structure covers the entire area of the amphitheater in the shape of an ellipse and creates space for additional lighting and state-of-the-art stage technology.

“We build sports facilities with ultramodern technical equipment.”

We develop intelligent designs that are completely unique: the roof construction for Verona’s historic arena protects the inside against bad weather, but can also be fully retracted into the compression ring. Barely visible from the outside, the structure allows an unrestricted view of the open sky once the roof is open. © gmp / a-promise

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain

Modernization, design in progress — In 2014, gmp, with design partners L35 Arquitectos and RIBAS & RIBAS, won the competition for the modernization of the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. A new design feature is the facade: as a sculptural envelope of subtly curved diagonal metal louvers, the perforated layer varies in its degrees of translucence, offering different views, both inwards and outwards. On the upper part, a curved promenade runs around the structure. The stadium houses commercial areas, a luxury hotel, and business and leisure facilities. A 360-degree LED screen circumscribing the stadium will be integrated into the inner roof edge.

“We create stadiums as living part of cities”

For our clients we think big: the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu will not only be the home of the world’s most highly valued football club, but also a multifunctional arena with 90,000 seats. The new retractable inner roof is carried out as a lightweight cable construction, fully integrated in the superstructure. © gmp / L35 / Ribas

Industrial Park Sports Center, Suzhou, China

Under construction — The Suzhou Industrial Park Sports Center with a total area of 421,040 square meters combines sports facilities for large events, leisure and cultural facilities, as well as shopping and hotel functions in a generous, publicly accessible park. Podiums support the stadiums that are topped by conspicuous undulating roofs, making the ensemble into a landmark visible from afar. The succinct character of the ensemble is reinforced by a uniform facade design: the facades of both the stadiums and the podiums are structured by horizontal lines, which follow the shape of the buildings in elegant curves.

We create complex multi-functional facilities respecting local traditions: the Sports Center design, featuring not only a 45,000-seat stadium, a natatorium with 3,000 seats, and a multi-purpose hall with 10,000 seats, but also shopping and hotel facilities, is a modern interpretation of Suzhou’s famous traditional gardens. ©gmp/Willmore

2017 Stadium and park for FC Krasnodar, Krasnodar, Russia

Completed in 2017 — The stadium for the Russian Premier League team was designed as a football stadium for 33,000 spectators in compliance with UEFA guidelines. It stands on a podium above the surrounding sports park and adjacent football academy. Its classic three-part facade is rhythmically structured with fluted pilasters made of off-white Roman travertine, making reference to the ancient amphitheater. By contrast, the roof was designed as a light cable-net structure. Its two-ply membrane material made of PTFE-coated glass fabric creates a volumetric roof that integrates the technical functions of flood lights and heating.

We implement extraordinary media technologies: with 4,700 m², the world’s largest high-definition LED screen runs 360 degrees around the inside of the stadium. It has a sweeping, wave-like shape arising from the stadium’s geometry — a globally unique installation. © Marcus Bredt

2013 Arena da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil

Completed in 2013 — The design is based on the idea of creating a simple but highly efficient stadium which makes reference to the natural diversity of forms in the tropical rainforest. Designed in cooperation with STADIA and schlaich bergermann partner, the 43,500-seat stadium has been placed on a base which provides space for VIP access, the media, the players, and parking spaces. A ring including spectator boxes, offices, and a restaurant separates the upper tier from the lower tier, which is recessed in the base. The Arena da Amazônia is one of the world’s first stadiums to be certified under the LEED scheme (US Green Building Council).

In our work, we aim to find solutions involving regional characteristics: the roof structure is composed of mutually bracing cantilever elements in the form of hollow steel box girders, which also serve as large gutters for the discharge of the enormous quantities of water expected during tropical rain events. © Marcus Bredt

2011 Bao’an Stadium, Shenzhen, China

Completed in 2011 — The athletics stadium for 40,000 spectators stands on a grassed plinth. The grandstand wraps around the oval athletics track such that its outer periphery forms a perfect circle. The supporting steel tubes range in diameter from 550 to 800 millimeters. With a diameter of 230 meters and a cantilever of 54 meters on each side, the roof is supported by 36 pairs of cables. They are pre-tensioned and converge at a circular double tension ring of strand-bundle cables above the pitch. The rings are linked by 18 m-high air supports which, together with the compression ring at the edge, form a balanced system.

We create stadiums with regional identity: the 32-meter steel columns make reference to South China’s bamboo forests. The outermost part unites facade, structure, and overarching architectural theme in a single feature — as concept for both the loadbearing frame and the supports for the wide-span roof. © Christian Gahl

2009 Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa

Completed in 2009 — Designed for 70,000 spectators, the Moses Mabhida Stadium is situated on an elevated platform in the central sports park on the shore of the Indian Ocean, and is accessed from the city via a broad flight of steps. The shape of the bowl results from the interaction of the circular roof structure with the triple-radius geometry of the arena. The PTFE-coated roof membrane admits 50% of the sunlight into the arena, while also providing shade. The perforated facade membrane of profiled metal sheeting rises to the outer edge of the roof, forming a lively pattern of light and shadow and offering glimpses of the interior.

“We create arenas with elegance in construction”

We create icons: a 105 meter arch over Moses Mabhida Stadium, carrying the weight of the inner membrane roof, forms an iconic landmark that is visible from afar. At its apex, a viewing platform provides a panoramic view of Durban and the Indian Ocean.© Marcus Bredt

2004 Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany

Completed in 2004 — With the roof of the FIFA World Cup 2006 stadium, gmp emphasizes the quality of the structure designed by Werner March and completed in 1936. The new structure, with its open-ended ring facing towards the Marathon Gate, sets itself apart from stadium typology with its simple construction and choice of material. The steel truss work providing the main support is estimated to be 68 meters long, and is visible through the translucent membrane. The inner roof rests on 20 steel columns, each measuring 25 centimeters in diameter. A special installation integrates the floodlights with the acoustics close to the edge of the inner roof turning it into a unique light object.

Efficient use of lightweight materials on main support: the roof is designed as a cantilevering steel construction with an upper and a lower membrane, as well as safety glazing and floodlights integrated into the inner roof edge. In this way, we have created an innovative design while preserving the quality of the historic structure. © HG Esch
gmp Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner

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gmp Architects is one of the few practices with a generalist position. Founded in 1965, we have completed more than 410 projects all over the world.

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