When an architect is charged with designing a sports stadium, there’s a whole host of aspects that need to be considered. As well as being fit for purpose, the stadium should be aesthetically pleasing and built to stand the test of time. Here are some of the world’s most impressive sporting stadiums.
Beijing National Stadium
When Beijing in China won the bid to host the Olympics in 2008, they recruited top architects and a revered Chinese artist to design a stadium that would attract attention long after the games had ended. At 1,050 ft. long and 230 ft. high, the structure is made from a unique design of latticework steel supports. Affectionately referred to as the Bird’s Nest, it remains an eye-catching feature on the Beijing skyline.
Football stadium FC Bate Borisov
Belarus might not be the world’s top footballing nation, but its iconic stadium surely puts this East European country firmly on the map. Home to FC Bate Borisov, the stadium holds 13,000 seats and boasts a 3,000-square foot pedestrian plaza. Made from aluminium and with a series of circular openings, the stadium has a life-like quality to it, thanks to a shimmering fabric that covers the dome.
AAMI Park
Built in 2010 to the staggering tune of $240 million, AAMI Park stadium in Melbourne, Australia, is home to several sports teams. However, it’s the stadium’s appearance that grabs the attention, and this earned it the accolade of the world’s most iconic stadium in 2012. Featuring a futuristic geodesic domed roof and a unique bio frame covering, over 30,000 spectators can enjoy unobstructed views from any seat.
Soccer City Johannesburg
The first FIFA World Cup event took place in South Africa in 2010 and to mark this special occasion, a new stadium was built in Johannesburg. More than just a stadium, the designers created something that reflected modern Africa and its culture. Using locally-sourced cladding on the facade of the building, to give it a more African flavour the pot shape of the building was created using open panels that light up at night – to represent stars in the African sky.
Kaohsiung National Stadium
Located in Kaohsiung City’s Zuoying District in Taiwan, the National Stadium was built in 2009 by an award-winning architect. Seating 55,000 spectators, the stadium is renowned for using solar power to meet nearly all of its energy needs. The roof contains 4,482 solar panels, earning it an impressive yearly energy allowance of 1.1 million kilowatt-hours.
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