FNB SOCCER CITY STADIUM JOHANNESBURG_BOOGERTMAN+PARTNERS & POPULOUS

FNB Soccer City Stadium Johannesburg
BOOGERTMAN+PARTNERS & POPULOUS
Johannesburg, South Africa

Appointment: 2007

Client: City of Johannesburg

Completion: 2009

Architect: Boogertman Urban Edge + Partners & POPULOUS

Area: 88 589 seats

Quantity Surveyor: Llale & Company

Strucutral Engineer: PD Naidoo & Associates /Schlaich Bergermann

Mechanical Engineer: DTM Pty Ltd

Electrical Engineer: Advoco

Landscape Architect: Uys & White

Typologies: Stadiums

Building Activities: Concerts, Rugby, Soccer

A world class stadium

80 000 cubic metres of concrete, 9000 tons of reinforcing steel and 8000 tons of structural steel were used to transform the FNB stadium into one of the most striking, impressive and well-equipped stadiums in the world. Hosting both the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening match and final, the 88 958 seater venue sits at the nexus of a dynamic transportation hub serving all the surrounding areas.

The stadium is made up of 3 tiers, lower embankment, upper embankment, two skybox or suite levels and the upper tier.

The calabash or African pot design represents a melting pot of cultures and sits in a depression as if it is being naturally fired. The pot’s façade is made up of laminated fibre reinforced concrete panels, referencing the shades and textures of the calabash and is punctured by open panels which come to life when the inside volumes are illuminated. Representing the road to the final and further entrenching the idea of inclusiveness, the façade has ten vertical lines that align geographically to the nine other 2010 stadia, as well as the Berlin stadium where the previous world cup came from. This captures the tradition of pattern making, which tells the story of the person making the pot or those that will use it.

These lines continue onto the podium where the scores are featured and run through the orange seating bowl, like dark grey lines slicing through the Highveld sunset. Cut under the existing grandstand and designed as a sloping mine shaft, the players’ tunnel pays tribute to Joburg’s rich gold mining history. The concourses on all levels provide access all-round the stadium except for the VIP lounges, hospitality areas and stadium management offices, which are accessed via secure lobbies.

CHALLENGE. In 2010, the FIFA World Cup came to Africa for the first time. The intense global attention drawn by the competition would, ultimately, focus on Soccer City as the host venue for the final. The challenge for Populous was to create a new state of the art stadium that would act as a symbol for modern African culture and, crucially, meet FIFA’s technical requirements. This design had to work around the existing historic stadium, thus calling for the right balance of renovation and rebuilding.

INNOVATION. Surmounting the new stadium is the calabash, or ‘melting pot’ of African culture. Its façade is made up of a unique cladding system, developed as fiber-cement panels that could be produced using locally sourced material. This gives a unique African flavor to the facade of the building. The pot is punctured by open panels that provide natural ventilation and, when the stadium is lit up, mimic the starlit African sky.


The structural profile of the upper levels was extended all round to encircle the pitch, while the lower embankments were rebuilt, vastly improving the view lines.




IMPACT. Soccer City is the largest stadium in Africa. The multi award-winning design, with its striking calabash, has successfully transformed the original stadium into a new national stadium that all of Africa can be proud of. Building on its acclaimed hosting of World Cup matches, the stadium has a successful legacy event program that continues to add an extra dimension to the already vibrant city of Johannesburg.port

Design for the new Soccer City stadium is informed by African craft traditions and mythology to provide a response to the unique context and history of the site and region.

The project saw the redevelopment of the existing FNB Stadium and included the remodelling of the existing seating tiers to improve the sightlines to the pitch; an extended upper tier around the stadium, which enabled the capacity to be increased to over 90,000 seats; the addition of a new fabric roof; an increase in the number of corporate boxes and improvements to the facilities for both players and spectators.

The unique shape of the stadium is inspired by the African pot, or ‘calabash’, with terracotta cladding set out as a mosaic of fire and earthen colours and with a ring of lights running around the bottom of the structure, simulating fire underneath the pot.

The roof enclosure consists of an upper roof, which is cantilevered from an enormous triangular spatial ring truss and covered by a PTFE membrane in a colour similar to that of sand from the local area, while the bottom of the trusses are covered by a perforated mesh membrane, giving the appearance of a smooth under-slung ceiling.

All VIP areas and the stadium management offices are located behind the main western grandstand, with a dedicated VIP entrance. New changing rooms, media work areas, auditorium, and VIP parking are located within a new basement under the podium on the western side of the stadium, bringing the stadium up to modern standards and meeting FIFA’s requirements to host World Cup matches.

The aesthetic of the surrounding urban spaces and external concourses has been designed to complement the natural landscape and flora of the area to create a development that is a true reflection of its place.

© Boogertman Urban Edge and Partners in partnership with Populous

 

web BOOGERTMAN+PARTNERS: http://www.boogertman.com/

web POPULOUS: http://populous.com/