Spain's Fenwick Iribarren Architects has completed a novel design for the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup soccer championship in Qatar. Named the 974 Stadium, it's designed to be relatively easy to disassemble and rebuild, and was constructed using almost 1,000 shipping containers.
Originally unveiled as the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, the 974 Stadium is located in Qatar's capital Doha, on the coast near a port and airport, and draws its new official name both from the local area code and the total number of shipping containers used to create the stadium.
It has a total spectator capacity of 40,000 and, structurally, consists of a steel framework with a partial roof up top, while the containers themselves are used to host seats, concession stands, toilets, and other areas. Many of the containers used were the very same ones used to transport building materials to the site.
Once the World Cup kicks off in 2022, the stadium will be used to host a number of matches until the soccer championship reaches the knockout stage. When the final whistle blows and the World Cup comes to a close, the idea is that the stadium will be dismantled and either rebuilt elsewhere or its parts recycled.
"The unique modular design used for this stadium has allowed fewer building materials to be used compared to traditional stadium developments," says Fenwick Iribarren Architects. "Therefore, it is an emblematic sustainability project that will inspire future organizers of major sporting events. There is also the circumstance that many of these containers used for the construction of the enclosure were used to transport construction materials to the site. 974 Stadium aims at the certification of the five-star Global Sustainability Assessment System, both for its design and for its construction."
All of which sounds fantastic, but there's one obvious concern – one which plagues all shipping container-based architecture projects – and that is the terrible thermal performance of the metal boxes, which is especially worrying in such a hot part of the world. On this note though, Fenwick Iribarren Architects seems quite confident and is counting on the local breeze being sufficient.
"In addition, due to its innovative design and seaside location, the stadium has natural ventilation, which avoids the need for cooling technology," adds the firm.
Sources: Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Fenwick Iribarren Architects
