As part of Qatar’s bid for the 2022 World Cup, the London-based architects responsible for the 2007 reconstruction of Wembley Stadium, Foster + Partners, has designed an energy efficient stadium to be built in the Qatar capital of Doha. When completed, the Lusail Iconic Stadium will boast enough room for 86,250 spectators and will be surrounded by parking and service areas shaded by canopies of solar collectors, which will produce energy for the stadium when it’s in use, as well as generating power for neighboring buildings.
Revealed at the ‘Leaders in Football’ conference in London this week, the stadium incorporates environmentally friendly cooling technologies to keep spectators and players cool in Doha’s extreme heat. The concave profile of the stadium’s outer enclosure incorporates a system of operable louvers, while the central section of the saddle-form roof can be extended or retracted to allow the pitch to be open to the sky or fully covered.
Encircled by a reflective pool of water, spectators enter the stadium via six bridges that cross the “moat.” To give the impression of floating above the concrete seating bowl, the roof is discreetly supported by a ring of arching columns.
Inside, the seating bowl is designed to enhance the atmosphere of the crowd with VIP and hospitality accommodation concentrated along the sides of the pitch to ensure a continuous sea of fans behind each goal.
Located in a new development in the north of Doha, the Foster + Partners designed stadium is serviced by direct connections by road and a new metro line and is intended to act as a catalyst for further growth in the area.
"The Lusail Iconic Stadium will serve as the perfect venue for the opening and final matches of the World Cup,” said HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar 2022 Bid. “The design of the stadium provides fans with optimum views of the action in a cool and comfortable setting. Its beauty and ambition represent the pride and enthusiasm that we have displayed in our bid thus far and will continue to display until the day FIFA awards the 2022 World Cup and beyond."
Qatar is competing against bids from Australia, Belgium, England, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Spain and the U.S. for the right to host the 2022 World Cup, with the FIFA Executive Committee voting to select the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on December 2 this year.