Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has been commissioned to create a large new soccer stadium in China. The striking curved building is designed to mitigate the effects of the weather for fans and will feature a significant amount of greenery integrated into its facades.
Slated for the ancient Chinese city Xi’an, the Xi’an International Football Centre is due to be finished and in use in time for the 2023 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in China. However, ZHA also says it will be useful as a stadium long after the tournament has ended and it will host domestic league games, youth training academies, entertainment performances and cultural events.
The project is designed by longtime Zaha Hadid collaborator and current ZHA boss Patrik Schumacher. Though it does evoke a hint of traditional Chinese architecture in the above render, it's very much a ZHA project, with its fluid curves and futuristic overall form.
"The sweeping lines of the facade protect the stadium from northerly winds and convey the fluid forms of the roof that shelters the saddle-shaped seating bowl which maximizes the spectator seating provided at midfield," says the firm. "Supported by the tensioned cable-net structure, a translucent membrane over the seating protects spectators from inclement weather and direct sunlight while also allowing the most amount of natural light to reach the playing surface, promoting the growth of grass on the pitch to provide playing conditions of the highest standard."
The stadium will have a total capacity of 60,000 seats and, in addition to the main seating area, will include shaded open-air terraces and public concourses that will be planted with greenery. The area surrounding the building will be landscaped too.
ZHA is certainly no stranger to soccer stadium designs and previously produced the controversial Tokyo New National Stadium, which was scrapped amid acrimony. The firm also recently secured planning permission for its stunning timber stadium in the UK.
Source: Zaha Hadid Architects