Toyama Stadium – design description

The Japanese city of Toyama may go in history as one to have the world’s smallest stadium equipped with a retractable roof. Construction of such structure would come at a high price, because the sliding roof itself is expected to cost ¥4 billion ($38m).

This, depending on estimate for the whole stadium, represents a fourth or even third of the entire project. And if not for other reasons, it might be why this feature could be dropped from the scheme if the budget isn’t secured. Total budget for the project is expected to be within ¥12.5 and 15.5 billion ($120-150m).

The retractable dome would consist of three parts. When resting, each of the three segments would rest on top of one another above the north end. If needed, they would slide southwards, where the roof will be translucent to enable natural grass growth.

Accommodating 15,000 people underneath the roof, this building will be able to host J1 League games (15,000 is the minimum). With a footprint of 25,500 m² the stadium will offer 5 floors of facilities behind the stands, including one directly below the field (!). Aside from typical football amenities (including a conference hall, offices, private rooms or a restaurant), the stadium will also become a disaster prevention base.

The stadium’s location is a major factor as well. It’s planned to be built almost at the heart of Toyama, in a much more accessible place than the current Toyama ARP Stadium. The down side is complete lack of space for parking, which means almost entire dependence on public transport. Thankfully, the network in central Toyama is very good.