Once again, in 2011, one of the largest sports events in the world will be held in China. For several weeks, the summer Universiade in Shenzhen, north of Hong Kong in the Pearl River Delta on the Chinese mainland, will focus world attention on the up-and-coming city. The stadium (actually in the Bao’an district) is designed as an athletics stadium holding 40,000 spectators. However, during the 2011 Universiade, it is being used for football matches. The extensive bamboo forests of southern China were the inspiration for the design. The bamboo look serves two purposes. It reflects the character of the region, and thus creates identity. And it serves as a structural concept for both the load-bearing frame of the stadium stands and the supports for the wide-span roof structure. The outermost part of the stadium unites façade, structure and overarching architectural theme in a single feature. The natural look of the bamboo forest, together with the interplay of light and shadow between the trunks, is interpreted structurally through rows of slender steel supports, as outsize, abstract versions of the bamboo shape. The stadium is being built in the immediate vicinity of a sports arena and swimming bath, which have already established an east-west axis. The stadium and the attached warming-up place fall in with this existing urban axis. The choice of a pure circle for the geometry of the stadium was a decision not to introduce any other geographical orientation into the urban-planning situation, and to emphasize the central character of the sports venue. Appropriately for the uses of the building, the stadium stands on a grassed plinth, which incorporates on the inside the lower tiers of seating and internal functional areas. The geometry of the spectator seats involves a modulation from the oval of the athletics track into a perfect circle. The undulating upper tier of the stands is the result of this modulation, creating a large number of seats on the long sides of the pitch and fewer seats on the short sides. The curved line of the upper edge of the stands is repeated by the overall shape of the stadium. Visitors to a sports event access the stadium via broad flights of steps that lead up to the podium on four sides. The flat podium allows free circulation around the whole stadium and easy access to the seats from any side. Visitors pass through the forest of steel supports into the first Competition 2007 – 1st prize Design Meinhard von Gerkan with Stephan Schütz and David Schenke Project leaders David Schenke, Li Ran Staff (design) Jennifer Heckenlaible, Daniela Franz, Zhang Xi, Yin Chao Jie, Zhou Bin, Anna Bulanda-Jansen, Cai Qing, Xu Ji Staff (execution) Matthias Grünewald, Cai Yu, Wang Le, Wang Li, Zhang Xi, Lucas Gallardo, Zhang Xiao Guang, Sebastian Linack, Li Zheng, Pan Xin, Martin Schulte-Frohlinde Chinese partner practice SCUT South China University of Technology Structural engineering schlaich bergermann und partner – Sven Plieninger with Wei Chen Lighting Design Schlotfeld Licht, Berlin Client The Sports Bureau of Bao’an District Construction period 2009–2011 Gross floor area 88,500 m² Tiers 2 Seats 40,050 VIP boxes 20 Business seats 360 Places for wheelchair users 70 Places for press 216 Underground parking places for cars 750 Length of the stadium 245,80 m Width of the stadium 245,80 m Height of the stadium 39,65 m Photographers: Christian Gahl www.christiangahl.com
- Source: www.gmp-architekten.de
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