Architecture of stadiums
Stadiums are places of mass entertainment where audiences watch the game live. In addition to a pitch with turf, an athletics track, or a speedway, stadiums are also equipped with grandstands and the necessary facilities with associated infrastructure, such as technical, social, administrative, and commercial spaces.
Stadiums today
stadiums today
In the past, stadiums were structures based on a natural earth embankment on which spectator seating was located. Today's construction technology, as proven by the Al Janoub in Al-Wakra designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, allows these structures to be erected even in the middle of the desert. Thanks to new technologies, stadiums provide an arena for games not only for the audience present on site, but also for the virtual one, in front of computers or televisions. The global phenomenon of sports and its standardization has translated into a transnational style of architecture of stadiums, which are designed to provide fans with entertainment in the form of spectacular and healthy competition across cultural divides. Nowadays, often called cathedrals of sports, they have become new tourist attractions of cities and regions.
multifunctional stadium space
Recent years have changed the face of sports architecture in at least several aspects. One is the move away from grand scale and monumentalism, which leaves empty edifices after an event, to more temporary structures that can partially or fully disappear or change their function when the event is over. In a world of great emphasis on sustainability and ecology, facilities of this scale must have the ability to transform their space and adapt to other needs. Using innovative solutions-spatial, programmatic and structural-designers strive to create a facility that is as flexible as possible to meet the organizers' current needs. A retractable roof powered by solar panels, retractable turf, or demand-driven grandstand capacity are just a few examples of innovative solutions that have for some time become a design standard when it comes to stadium projects.
