Stadium experts Populous and architects Oualalou + Choi have joined forces to design an extraordinary new stadium that will take the form of a huge tent. Named the Grand Stade Hassan II, it will be located near Casablanca, Morocco, and will be the largest soccer stadium in the world.
The stadium is being created for Morocco's shared hosting of the upcoming 2030 FIFA World Cup competition along with Portugal and Spain. Bringing to mind Qatar's bedouin-inspired stadium, the building draws inspiration from a traditional Moroccan gathering known as a Moussem.
It will have a capacity of 115,000 sports fans, making it the largest capacity soccer stadium in the world. To put it into perspective, it'll also be larger than the official capacity of the largest sports stadium in the US, which has a capacity for 107,601 spectators.
Its tent-like design will incorporate an aluminum lattice exterior that will help shade spectators and allow for ventilation. Additionally, landscaping will be a key focus and its ring of 32 stairways will create gateways with lush greenery positioned on raised platforms, plus there will be some botanical gardens too. It will also serve as home to two local soccer clubs.
"The Grand Stade Hassan II is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions," says Tarik Oualalou, Design Principal and founding partner at Oualalou + Choi and Lead Architect for the project. "It is rooted in ancient and primordial figures: the Moussem, the tent, and the garden, as well as the topography and landscapes of Morocco. It's a generous space, open to the world and respectful to the nature it protects. The Grand Stade Hassan II de Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality."
Preparation for the start of construction is now underway on a 100-hectare (247-acre) site in the town of El Mansouria, near Casablanca. We've no word yet on when it'll be completed, but it'll definitely be finished by 2030.
Sources: Populous, Oualalou + Choi
