Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex – construction description

Why is a new sports complex being built in Nansha?

The construction of the Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex is related to the 15th National Games of China, which will be held in 2025 and hosted by Guangdong Province along with Hong Kong and Macau. In connection with the organization of the competition, it has been decided to build a new sports complex to be erected in Nansha, a remote (by 80 km) southern district of Guangzhou, described as the "geometric center" of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.

Who designed Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex?

On July 21, 2023, the results of the international competition for the design of the new complex were announced and renderings of the winning concept, which was created through a collaboration between Zaha Hadid Architects and GuangDong Architectural Design & Research Institute, were shown.

How is the construction of Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex progressing?

The main contractor for Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex became China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau. Construction of the complex began in August 2023, with the entire project expected to cost 7.179 billion yuan.

The facilities are expected to be ready for the 2025 National Games of China, and as a result, work is being carried out 24 hours a day to meet the schedule. Within three months from the start of construction, piling was completed, driving exactly 1019 piles. On March 11, 2024, the main structure of the stadium was completed, breaking pace records for sports facilities of this scale in China.

What will Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex be?

The complex will include a main, multi-purpose stadium, in addition to a 20,000-seat arena, an indoor swimming complex with an auditorium for 4,000 people, an auxiliary stadium, as well as a multi-level parking lot and supporting infrastructure. Plazas, paths and green areas will be part of the premise. The facilities of the complex are to symbolize pearls scattered on the seashore.

What will be the main stadium of Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex?

The architectural concept of Nansha Cultural and Sports Complex Stadium can be seen on a separate subpage

The main stadium of the complex will feature an athletics track, and its stands will hold 60,000 spectators. The roof of the stadium is to resemble a unfolded, traditional Chinese fan, and the pattern seen on its facade is to refer to the appearance of the masts of ancient boats from the Nanyue Kingdom period. On one side, between the roof and the stands, there will be a sizable gap through which a view of the Pearl River estuary will be revealed.