Tammelan stadion – design description

This project’s most amazing feature is how much will be squeezed into the small plot in Tampere’s dense residential fabric. Currently the site is occupied solely by the Tammela Stadion, able to hold just over 5,000 people. When redeveloped, the stadium will increase to 8,000 covered seats (initial plan of 7,250 was increased to reach Category 4), over 150 apartments (initial estimates suggested 170+), nearly 7,000 square metres of commercial/office space and a large underground parking.

Fitting all of the above in Tammela forced all bidders of the design competition to create a solid, unified building that combines all uses. The winning bid of JKMM Architects earned praise for its simple and clear aesthetics as well as the way it combines the different facilities.

The field will be rotated perfectly to the north-south axis, which will create space on the west and south to accommodate the secondary uses. Residential buildings will be created on both sides, while the ground level will be offered for commercial use. Interestingly, current football field will be occupied by the underground parking, while new grass will grow on top of it.

Unobstructed growth of the field should be assured by slanted roof, which is also the main aesthetic element. In this simple, minimalistic and consistent building it’s the roof that catches the eye and also caught attention during the design competition. The entire project will be whitish, decorated with white stone.