Archinect - News

New HOK-designed NYCFC soccer stadium wins planning approval as part of Willets Point redevelopment

2024-04-15T15:37:00-04:00

HOK has won approvals for its proposed new stadium design at Willets Point, Queens, for the New York City Football Club (NYCFC) MLS franchise.

The go-ahead was granted by City Councilors last week as the future anchor to the larger mixed-use Willets Point Phase II Redevelopment Plan development that includes a new public school and 2,500-unit affordable housing component, along with 150,000 square feet of public spaces adjacent to Citi Field at a site formerly known as the 'Valley of Ashes.'

Rendering courtesy HOK

At a cost of $780 million, HOK will deliver a two-tiered, 25,000-seat design (the city’s first purpose-built soccer stadium) built using local materials and featuring green design strategies like PV panels and stormwater retention. According to the architects, this will allow for its operation to be all-electric and net-zero, with annual emissions reductions equal to 12% within a year of the project's inauguration.

Rendering courtesy HOK

Construction of the Willets Point Re...

Proposal to bring New York City its first dedicated professional soccer stadium is approaching approval

2024-03-23T08:00:00-04:00

New York City’s first dedicated soccer stadium is becoming closer to a reality. As reported by Gothamist, the City Council is expected to approve the final phase of an ambitious project to revitalize the long-neglected Willets Point neighborhood in Queens through a mixed-use redevelopment.

In addition to the stadium, the scheme promises to deliver 2,500 units of affordable housing, including 133 homes for homeless New Yorkers, a 250-room hotel, a public school, retail, space, and public space. Designed by HOK, the $780 million, 25,000-seat stadium will host the MLS’ New York City Football Club. It is also expected to be the first-ever fully electric soccer stadium in the MLS.

Rendering courtesy of New York City Football Club

Phase I of the project, which includes 1,100 residential units, has been approved, with construction commencing in December of last year. Approval of Phase II, which includes the stadium and more housing units, is expected to follow through the support of city ...

China will build replacement for Gensler soccer stadium design in Guangzhou following Evergrande debt scramble

2024-03-19T11:51:00-04:00

Chinese state-owned construction contractor will build China’s largest soccer park in Guangzhou on the site where struggling Chinese property developer China Evergrande Group was supposed to build its soccer stadium. China Construction Fourth Engineering Division won the engineering procurement construction contract to build the Guangzhou Football Park with a CNY2.4 billion (USD328 million) bid, the unit of China State Construction Engineering announced on its official WeChat account yesterday.

The site was originally meant for a 100,000-seat stadium designed by Gensler. Evergrande, the developer now embroiled in a Lehman Brothers-like freefall, had already begun construction before the project was halted and eventually taken over by the government in 2021. The new design from the Guangdong Architectural Design and Research Institute has a reduced capacity of 73.000, making it still the largest soccer-only stadium in China.

Previously on Archinect: One of China's largest property developers is roiled in a Lehman-esque debt spiral

The estimated cost of the original design it replaces was $1.7 billion. Gensler, meanwhile, has begun preliminary work assessing the potential for a new stadium on the site of a disused Westfield shopping center in its hometown of San Francisco.

Populous unveils cliffside Saudi stadium design formed of modular cubes

2024-01-22T11:44:00-05:00

Populous has unveiled plans for a major stadium in Saudi Arabia to be constructed on top of a 650-foot-tall cliff. The Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium seeks to “draw visitors from across the globe and revolutionize the traditional stadium experience with its immersive design and unique technological features,” according to the team.

Image credit: Populous

Located in Qiddiya City, 40 minutes from the capital Riyadh, the venue is designed to host the country’s largest sports, entertainment, and cultural events and is expected to attract 7.6 million annual visits. The stadium will be the world’s first venue with a combined retractable roof, pitch, and LED wall, offering what the team calls “unparalleled versatility” in “allowing the space to transform into different ‘event modes’ in a matter of hours.”

When activated, the LED wall will display live event broadcasts, high-definition films, and laser shows. When not in use, the wall gives way to views of the city from the venue’s cliff...

A new soccer training center for the Vancouver area designed by Formline Architecture

2024-01-14T14:00:00-05:00

The City of Port Coquitlam in British Columbia, Canada, recently unveiled the final proposed design for one of the province’s largest training and recreational hubs for soccer.

Designed by Indigenous-led, Vancouver-based firm Formline Architecture, the facility will serve as a state-of-the-art soccer and community hub and B.C. Soccer’s new headquarters, with office space for local soccer club Port Coquitlam Euro-Rite FC. The project includes the reconfiguration and improvement of the surrounding Gates Park, which is located just west of downtown Port Coquitlam.

New renderings reveal that there will be a 1,200-seat grandstand covered by a sculpted wooden roof. This space will feature locker rooms, washrooms, a lobby, a meeting space, and other amenities. Additionally, a state-of-the-art synthetic turf field will be constructed to FIFA international competition standards, replacing an existing underutilized grass field. There will also be a multi-use public plaza for community events ...

Inter Milan unveils San Siro stadium replacement proposal from Populous

2023-12-22T11:41:00-05:00

Inter Milan’s plans for its first new home away from San Siro are getting a little bit clearer after the Serie A club released a few preliminary renderings for a Populous-designed stadium in Rozzano.

The announcement was made this week and follows the city’s decision not to grant approvals to a 2021 proposal from the firm called "The Cathedral" that would have been built as a shared facility with AC Milan and surrounded by a new entertainment district at the site of the nearly 100-year-old stadium.

In the aftermath, both clubs are now pursuing separate venues. The new Inter stadium will have capacity for 70,000 fans with a year-round ‘sports town’ fan area situated outside among the landscaped open park spaces of the site, which offers an easy connection to the city center. A fan survey has now been introduced as the club and Populous continue along the design process. No official construction timelines have been proposed yet.

Rendering courtesy Inter Milan

Speaking on Instagram, the...

HOK's $780 Million NYCFC Stadium plan pushes professional sports toward an all-electric future

2023-11-22T11:54:00-05:00

The proposed new stadium venue for the New York City Football Club (NYCFC) by HOK will be all-electric in addition to incorporating a number of sustainability strategies included in a press announcement that was made last week by the team.

The 25,000-seat stadium forms the center of a larger mixed-use redevelopment set for an area of the Willets Points neighborhood of Queens that is also being targeted for a proposed $8 billion new casino development and would be the MLS franchise's first dedicated facility after ten years in operation.

HOK intends to install a solar PV array on the stadium's roof and says they plan for a net-zero construction to match the franchise's 2040 commitment, achieving annual reductions of at least 12% after year one of the project's operation.

Image courtesy HOK

Other considerations include enacting a stormwater retention system and a zero-waste strategy. The stadium's green credentials are likely to inform the rest of the plan, which calls for a 250-room...

Populous' combined AC/Inter Milan 'Cathedral' proposal is likely out for San Siro

2023-08-10T11:15:00-04:00

This officially ends Inter and AC Milan's plans to tear down large swathes of the historic stadium and build a new 'Cathedral' home in the surrounding grounds, though the clubs had been planning for this rejection for some time. Inter and AC Milan are therefore pursuing other stadium options elsewhere, which will most likely see them separate after sharing a veritable footballing cauldron since 1947.

The Populous-designed plan was cast into doubt by the Regional Commission for the Cultural Heritage of Lombardy last week, ending an intriguing saga that saw opposition from locals concerned about the environmental impact of demolition and its commentary on the influence of foreign investment in European football. Their proposed stadium (dubbed “The Cathedral”) would have created a massive entertainment district at San Siro with considerations for the architectural heritage of Milan, including the iconic Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

Previously on Archinect: Populous tapped to lead design of new combined Inter & AC Milan stadium

Both teams have reached deals for separate stadiums in the city’s suburbs, with Populous still on board for the new Inter design and Manica behind AC's new San Donato home base, according to reporting last week in the Architects’ Journal.

'Catalysts of inclusion': Populous' stadium expert Silvia Prandelli details innovations in inclusive design

2023-05-12T13:45:00-04:00

With several high-profile projects, including the planned Etihad Stadium expansion and the $1 billion Eleven Park in Indianapolis, on its horizon, Populous senior principal Silvia Prandelli sat down with The Athletic recently to detail the firm’s approach to stadium design in an era that is more welcoming to numerous groups — women, families, wheelchair users, and more — left out by traditional approaches to the typology.

Prandelli was the architect for both the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the 2012 London Olympic Stadium projects. She spoke about several concepts the firm is applying to their designs while navigating a host of regulations from national governments and European professional soccer’s governing body UEFA. The solutions mentioned include increased pram storage and gender-neutral bathrooms together among other interventions considered foreign to the sport sector before the last decade.

Populous' TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, which won the top prize at last year's World Fo...

HOK reveals Willets Point Revitalization Plan and NYCFC stadium design

2023-05-11T18:25:00-04:00

HOK’s plans for a new mixed-used development and soccer stadium in Willets Points, Queens, have been released following the project’s announcement last month.

The 25,000-seat new home of New York City FC will come with 2,500 units of “100% affordable” housing plus a public school, hotel, retail component, and over 40,000 square feet of open public space. Plans call for a “future-foward” stadium design that will become a model for sustainability. The overall project also ties in with Mayor Eric Adams' comments about his administration’s intentions to create a “City of Yes.”

Image courtesy HOK

“The design of NYCFC’s new stadium celebrates diversity, community, and the love of the sport, creating a hospitality-driven experience unique to its location in Queens, the world’s borough,” HOK principal and senior project designer Rashed Singaby said in a statement. “Our design team has created a sustainable, technology-driven experience and integrated the stadium into the context of a future ...

New York City Football Club selects HOK to design $780 million new soccer stadium in Queens

2023-04-21T14:12:00-04:00

The first dedicated soccer stadium for New York City FC will be designed by HOK, the team announced this week as it previewed its plans for a new mixed-use district in Willets Point, Queens.

The ten-year-old MLS franchise has been playing its home matches at Yankee Stadium since 2015 and will soon move into its new privately-financed 25,000-seat home that forms the centerpiece of a development that will include 2,500 units of affordable housing, a hotel, and a 650-seat public school.

"The stadium will embody New York’s dynamism and cultural diversity and become a vibrant example of urban placemaking," said HOK principal Rashed Singaby. "Our design will embrace the multi-faceted identity of Queens, Flushing Meadows, and the site’s industrial heritage, offering fans an unprecedented, hospitality-driven game-day experience while integrating into the local community as an everyday asset."

Conceptual rendering for Willets Point. Credit: S9 Architecture

Turner Construction will join the fi...

Populous attached to proposed Etihad Stadium expansion for Manchester City FC

2023-04-18T18:16:00-04:00

Manchester City Football Club has just released renderings for a proposed expansion of their 24-year-old Etihad Stadium led by Populous.

The submission to the Manchester City Council calls for a “best-in-class” fan experience and year-round live entertainment venue to be integrated into the stadium complex. The scheme was proposed following the results of a monthlong consultation process with fans and members of the local community and will help expand seating capacity during performances to over 60,000.

A 3,000-capacity covered exterior City Square fan zone is also included in the design, along with plans for a 400-room hotel, team store, and museum.

Image courtesy Manchester City FC

A new tier will be added above the stadium’s North Stand section to provide space for the new accommodations. The plan also calls for the inclusion of startup spaces in the development, supported by City Football Group and Etihad Campus. Manchester City is promising investments in excess of £300 millio...

Populous unveils $1 billion Eleven Park stadium design for Indianapolis

2023-02-20T12:45:00-05:00

Populous has revealed designs for its new 20,000-seat multipurpose soccer stadium in Indianapolis.

Their design for the city’s Indy Eleven professional soccer franchise will anchor a larger mixed-use development located at the southwesternmost corner of downtown that includes apartments, a hotel feature, office spaces, and retail all wrapped in a color-changing LED facade that’s supposedly reflective of the “forward-looking nature of the development.”

Populous’ Phil Kolbo shared, “A world-class stadium is designed as a true destination, a reflection of its community and a catalyst for growth in the area. This is our mission with the new stadium for Indy Eleven.”

Image courtesy Indy Eleven and Keystone Group

“Eleven Park will not only change the skyline of Indianapolis, but will add over a thousand jobs, have a huge economic impact, create quality of life benefits and attract talent and opportunities to our city and state,” added Ersal Ozdemir, the Chairman and Founder of Keystone Gr...

Gensler will lead the design of a new 80-acre New York Red Bulls training complex

2023-02-09T11:32:00-05:00

Gensler has been selected to lead the design of a new training facility for the New York Red Bulls in Morris Township, New Jersey.

The 80-acre site will feature a total of 8 soccer fields and related facilities meant to house the club’s two professional-level teams and world-renowned Youth Training program in place of a former manufacturing center for the American corporation Honeywell.

Gensler says: “The holistic environment, expressed in the fluidity from indoor to outdoor spaces, not only provides athletes a place to practice and play, but promotes rest, recovery, and education. Integrating a culture of wellbeing, nutrition programs teach the benefits of healthy eating and are experienced in the communal dining rooms. Unlike any other facility in the U.S., the youth soccer training academy and on-site dormitory provide the organization an opportunity to scout young talent, while young players can see themselves on a path to becoming a professional member of the Red Bulls team.”

I...

Soccer legend Pelé is laid to rest inside world's tallest cemetery in Santos, Brazil

2023-01-04T11:49:00-05:00

Pelé was a footballer like no other, and his final resting place will be exceptional too: a large replica stadium complete with artificial turf inside the world’s tallest vertical cemetery. The Brazilian football great, whose funeral was held Tuesday, bought his mausoleum 19 years ago inside the Memorial Ecumenical Cemetery, a high-rise building that holds the Guinness world record as the tallest cemetery in the world.

The “King of Football’s” 2,152-square-foot crypt is located inside the 32-story, 430,000-square-foot first-ever vertical cemetery in the world that features amenities like a 24/7 restaurant and indoor aviary.

Pelé said the apartment block-esque building offered more “spiritual peace and tranquility” over traditional graveyards. He was laid to rest alongside a former teammate, other family members, and the building’s 16,000-plus residents.

The funeral also provided Brazil's new President first public appearance while his predecessor watched in exile at a lesser-known sports champion's manse in Orlando.

Qatar puts number of 2022 World Cup migrant worker deaths 'between 400 and 500'

2022-11-29T17:30:00-05:00

The Qatari official responsible for delivery of the 2022 World Cup has said the number of migrant workers who have died on World Cup-related projects is “between 400 and 500”. Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary general of the Supreme Committee for delivery and legacy, made the admission in an interview but said a precise figure for the number of fatalities was still “being discussed”.

Following al-Thawadi’s vague estimate of worker deaths in a live TV interview, the Qatari Supreme Committee tried to minimize the numbers by issuing a statement that the figures referred to "national statistics covering the period of 2014–2020 for all work-related fatalities (414) nationwide in Qatar, covering all sectors and nationalities," as reported by Amnesty International today.

Populous and HASTINGS complete North America's largest purpose-built soccer venue in Nashville

2022-10-27T12:53:00-04:00

A day after Nashville’s NFL franchise unveiled its plans for a new 60,000-seat stadium, Populous and HASTINGS have officially announced the completion of what is now the largest purpose-built soccer stadium in North America for Tennessee’s "other" football team, Nashville SC.

Located inside the Nashville Fairgrounds complex, the 30,000-seat GEODIS Park is meant to evoke the "look and feel" of the Music City’s industrial past as it enhances the local civic space with a multipurpose facility that can accommodate a host of different public events, concerts, and other community activities.

Image: Tom Harris courtesy Nashville SC

"GEODIS Park is a world-class stadium that speaks specifically to human scale," Bruce Miller, Populous’ Senior Principal and Managing Director for the Americas, said in a statement. "The Nashville identity is seamlessly and authentically woven into the design and the fabric of this stadium through our collaboration with HAST...

2022 World Cup: Amnesty International urges FIFA to reserve at least $440M to remedy abuses of migrant workers in Qatar

2022-05-24T18:48:00-04:00

Human rights group Amnesty International has urged FIFA to earmark at least $440 million to compensate migrant workers who it says have suffered labor abuses in the preparations for the men's 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Amnesty International says the issues, which include unsafe working conditions and excessive hours, are "widespread" in the country.

The organization has reported on the exploitation of the (mostly South Asian) migrant workers on 2022 World Cup job sites in Qatar for some time and is now calling for a symbolic sum to be dolled out to workers and their families as reparations for the decade of deadly abuses and foul labor practices behind the slate of venues that includes designs from Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners.

Previously on Archinect: "7,000 construction workers will die in Qatar before a ball is kicked in the 2022 World Cup," new ITUC report finds

“FIFA should reserve an amount not less than the US$440 million prize money offered to teams participating in the World Cup, to be invested in funds to support remediation,” the organization’s letter suggested.

FIFA’s President, Gianni Infantino, has maintained the body played an active role in improving conditions for workers, claiming that its efforts had restored “dignity and pride” amongst the two million laborers some have labeled as “slaves.”

...

As Milan's San Siro stadium goes, so goes the city

2022-05-23T14:56:00-04:00

AC Milan’s Serie A championship title over the weekend brought out the missives on placemaking and memory concerning the club’s future in the 96-year-old stadium adored by the Milanese as their seconda casa.

The facilities, last upgraded in 1990 and renovated throughout the 2000s by the local firm Ragazzi and Partners, are set to be replaced by a new “cathedral” designed by American sport heavyweight Populous for the year 2027. Many feel it is the last victim of a changed European Soccer landscape dominated by Russian oligarchs and other monied interests from abroad after the late-1990s to early-2000s.

Previously on Archinect: Populous tapped to lead design of new combined Inter & AC Milan stadium

Alternatives, including its reuse as a massive Covid memorial, have been proposed by the faithful, who also claim a demolition effort of such size would be harmful to the environment. A final approval is still on the horizon for later this year. The architects of the new stadium say their...

Populous tapped to lead design of new combined Inter & AC Milan stadium

2021-12-23T17:12:00-05:00

Bookending another banner year in which it overhauled a living legend and inaugurated a Field of Dreams, Populous has been announced as the designer for the football clubs Internazionale Milano and AC Milan's combined new digs to be located in the city’s San Siro neighborhood.

Nicknamed “The Cathedral,” the new facility will replace the existing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza that has stood on the site since its completion in 1926.

Image courtesy Populous

The stadium will be the centerpiece of a pedestrian-friendly recreation district that features 110,000 square meters of green space in addition to a new underground parking facility. Populous says a finalized design will be unveiled at the conclusion of an accelerated second phase at the end of next year, and that it will stand as a celebration of some of the city’s most iconic architecture, including the famed Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

Image courtesy Populous

“Our design envisages the stadium as the most sustainable in Europe an...

Chinese government takes control of incomplete, $1.7 billion Evergrande Guangzhou Football Stadium

2021-12-06T19:11:00-05:00

Chinese authorities have taken over the Gensler-designed, under-construction Evergrande Guangzhou Football Stadium, commissioned by indebted property developer Evergrande, which was due to become the world’s largest football stadium by capacity, according to Reuters.

The Chinese government will either sell or take over the stadium via the state-owned Guangzhou City Construction Investment Group. As reported by Reuters, construction on the stadium has been halted for at least three months, in which Evergrande has been struggling to meet repayments on over $300 billion of debt.

Previously on Archinect: One of China's largest property developers is roiled in a Lehman-esque debt spiral

The Gensler-designed, 100,000-capacity soccer stadium was planned to be the home ground for professional club Guangzhou Evergrande. Work on the arena began in April 2020, with an estimated cost of $1.7 billion. It was set for completion by the end of 2022.

Allianz Arena will not display rainbow colors in support of LGBTQ activists following a controversial UEFA ruling

2021-06-22T21:01:00-04:00

UEFA has rejected a call from activists to convert the Allianz Arena in Munich into a rainbow-covered light scheme in unison with protests ahead of Germany’s final European Championship group game with Hungary that it is slated to host on Wednesday.

The city council’s proposal was rejected by Europe’s governing soccer body after a ruling cited the effort’s political motivations as the reasoning behind the denial.

Activists are looking to shed light on the recent passage of a bill they say is meant to target LGBTQ education in Hungary’s public school system. The Herzog and de Meuron-designed stadium would have joined other Bundesliga pitches across the country in a show of solidarity that will now be expressed by fans inside the stadium, at Town Hall, and on the city’s nearby Olympiaturm as support for the protest grows.

Aerial photo of Allianz Arena. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons user Chumwa.

“We in Munich certainly won’t let ourselves be discouraged from sending a clear signal to...

Bahadır Kul Architects captures the essence of Georgian culture with Batumi Stadium

2021-05-12T16:30:00-04:00

With a portfolio consisting of over twenty stunning stadium designs, Istanbul-based practice Bahadır Kul Architects has added to its collection with Batumi Stadium.

The soccer stadium, located in the Georgian city of Batumi, was completed in July 2020 and is the home of local soccer club FC Dinamo Batumi. For its design, Bahadır Kul Architects took inspiration from traditional Georgian dances and, at large, the dynamism, enthusiasm, and free spirited nature of Georgian culture. These qualities are evident in the stadium’s façade, which is clad with 76 overlapping panels, each slanted and different heights. This undulating form evokes movement and creates a rhythmic effect.

The number of façade panels is equal to the number of roof segments, which creates a uniform and consistent bowl. Covered with PVC, the stadium is neutral and almost cloud-like during the day. However, at night the structure is dynamically illuminated by the lighting of the surrounding city. The cladding will als...

Studio-MLA showcases the future of LA's sports stadiums

2020-10-16T18:21:00-04:00

Mia Lehrer of Studio-MLA and associate principal Matthew Lysne showcase their latest stadium projects in Los Angeles. Taking the design lead to each site's landscape and urban layout, Studio-MLA teamed with HKS, Gensler, and Levin & Associates, among others, to showcase their landscape designs for Dodger Stadium, SoFi Stadium, and Banc of California Stadium.

Studio-MLA provided Archinect with images of all three larger-scale projects and descriptions. Mia Lehrer shares, "Our new stadium-parks offer a model for economic recovery and for improving the urban experience, including as cities recover from the pandemic and reinforce efforts to address social inequities."

Dodger Stadium

Project Description

"The renovated landscape for the 260-acre site furthers the client’s goal to strengthen their fans’ experience and memory of the stadium. Children’s play areas and g...

OMA and LOLA unveil plans for new soccer stadium in Rotterdam

2020-06-19T15:19:00-04:00

OMA and LOLA Landscape Architects have unveiled new renderings for a new 63,000-seat soccer stadium in Rotterdam.

The proposed Feijenoord Stadium will be home to the Feyenoord Football Club and is billed as "future-proof infrastructure for football and daily activities in the surrounding communities" by the project team.

The stadium, according to the architects, features three-tier seating areas that help increase the arena's overall seating capacity while also "placing spectators as close to the field as possible for an intimate match experience."

Designed with a "bowl-shaped steel structure" supporting these seating areas, the stadium represents a key node in a new master plan for the Feyenoord City district, which has also been developed by OMA and LOLA.

The architects write, "On match days, crowds will gather at the concourse before entering the stadium, while the concourse design will also distribute several slow traffic routes along the water and into the surrounding neighb...

New York City may get a brand new Major League Soccer stadium (including affordable housing)

2020-02-10T15:07:00-05:00

New York City F.C.’s circuitous search for a permanent home [...] has come full circle. The team’s owners, in conjunction with a group of local developers, are nearing an agreement with New York City that would allow the team to construct a privately financed, 25,000-seat stadium in the South Bronx as part of a development project costing more than $1 billion.

According to the NYT, the New York City Football Club may be close to sealing a deal with a group of developers to build a 25,000-seat soccer stadium complex in the South Bronx near Yankee Stadium. The project, which would also include retail, a hotel, a school, and much-needed affordable housing, has a few zoning hurdles to take first but reportedly has the blessing of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"Though nothing has been finalized, there has been significant progress made, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our partners on this exciting project," wrote the club's CEO, Brad Sims, in a statement released this weekend. "We are actively involved with MADDD Equities, the Yankees, NYC Economic Development Corporation, the Bronx Parking Authority, and numerous Bronx community groups and local leaders to bring a transformative project proposal to the South Bronx, one piece of which would be a soccer-specific stadium. We are proud to partner with MADDD Equities, a well-known affor...

ZHA’s Eco Park stadium in England is finally moving forward

2019-12-30T11:15:00-05:00

An all-timber football stadium designed for the Forest Green Rovers Football Club by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) in 2016 has received local approval in Gloucestershire, England.

The all-wood stadium is designed to blend into the project’s rural site. Rendering courtesy of MIR / Zaha Hadid Architects.

The proposed stadium will anchor the new £100 million Eco Park development that will bring the 5,000-seat stadium, a community accessible football pitch, and a collection of offices and retail spaces to the area. The stadium component of the project is billed as the world’s first modern all-wood soccer stadium, while the project backers aim to make the development run entirely on sustainably generated energy.

A project statement on the ZHA website states, “The design retains and enhances the existing meadow landscape of the site whilst adding the stadium and other functions for the town. Embodying low carbon construction methods and operational processes, it will be the first all timber...

Vladimir Putin: 2018 World Cup stadiums overall on track, but delays "unacceptable"

2017-10-04T14:44:00-04:00

Russian president Vladimir Putin has warned 2018 World Cup officials that delays to preparations for the tournament are "unacceptable", although they are not yet "critical". Russia will host its first World Cup from 14 June to 15 July using 12 venues in 11 cities across the country. Putin, 64, said that while work was "entirely satisfactory" overall, "there are nevertheless some delays".

With the world's biggest soccer event officially kicking off in June 2018, Russian President Putin is whipping his officials in formation to have construction on the twelve venues in eleven cities across Russia completed without any delays — and avoid the fiasco from the Sochi Olympic Games.

Not everyone's happy about the new stadiums though.

Herzog & de Meuron's stadium in Chelsea "will be a hefty brute of a thing"

2015-07-07T01:28:00-04:00

The stadium will be wrapped in a cage of slender concrete and brick columns that will rise to a zig-zagging profile, before folding over to form the roof – as if the architects’ tangle of struts in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium had been straightened out and neatened up.

Herzog & de Meuron's design for the Football Club stadium in Chelsea takes fandom to the level or religious zealotry, borrowing dramatic gothic elements from Westminster Abbey – the structure that formerly stood on the same site. The design's heavy masonry, brick and railway-style vaults prompt comparisons to "London's Victorian railway viaducts" and the Brutalist concrete hulks of the 1970s. As Jacques Herzog in The Guardian explains it, the stadium will be like “a castle, or a medieval walled village ... It is really a structural thing, very naked in some way."

The £500M stadium should support crowds from 42,000 - 60,000, and while Herzog & de Meuron have already completed numerous arenas (perhaps most famously, their "Bird's Nest" stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics), the Chelsea project's heft offers an aesthetic break from the ongoing sweeping, airy trends in stadium design.

More on Herzog & de Meuron's stadium work:

Bird's Nest Collaborators, Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meuron, s...

Architecture for Humanity-designed "Football for Hope" Centers give African youth a solid start

2014-07-17T21:07:00-04:00

With the 2014 FIFA World Cup just coming to a spectacular finale in Brazil, it's a perfect moment for Architecture for Humanity to announce the completion of 20 centers for 2010, a Football For Hope program and partnership legacy of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Launched in 2007 by FIFA and streetfootballworld as a social legacy initiative, the program was tasked to build 20 community centers across 15 African countries for the benefit of local organizations. The centers address education and public health issues, using soccer as a tool for social development.

Find more information about the Football for Hope Centers below.

Photo: Young children running on the pitch of the Khayelitsha Football for Hope Center, the first completed Football for Hope Center. Location: Cape Town, South Africa. Credit: A. Grips

"Football for Hope (FFH) was created to enhance dialogue and collaboration between locally active organizations advancing social development and football associations, committed...