Noul stadion Michael Klein – design description

What does Stadionul Michael Klein look like?

The stadium in Hunedoara was opened in 1960 and features a running track, surrounded by stands based mainly on earth embankments. The most important user of the venue is the Corvinul Hunedoara football club. The team had its best period in the 1980s when, supported by the local metallurgical complex, it regularly played in the top division.

In the 1990s, the stadium was named after Michael Klein, a Romanian footballer who played as a left-back and represented the country. Klein was an alumni of Corvinul and served the team from 1977 to 1988, playing 313 games for the club. In 1993, at the age of 33, the player died as a result of a heart attack he suffered during training.

After the political transformation, the local club declined significantly and went through various turbulences. The condition of the stadium also deteriorated and it fell further and further behind modern standards.

How did the plans to build a new stadium in Hunedoara come about?

The issue of building a new stadium was raised by Dan Bobouţanu in his election campaign, who was elected mayor of Hunedoara in 2016. In the following years, the city made efforts to raise support for the project. The vision gained support from various government representatives at local, regional and central levels, including the Minister of Development.

Crucial to the project was the involvement of the governmental company Compania Națională de Investiții (CNI) in the project, within the framework of the national programme for construction of public or social importance, so that the investment could receive state funding.

On October 29, 2021, the municipality signed a contract with the PGA Markers studio for a feasibility study. In May 2022, the municipality announced the completion of this work and presented the first renderings and details of the new stadium, including capacity (10,500 spectators) and estimated cost (€54 million). The venue was to be given a football-specific layout and built from scratch on the site of its predecessor.

When were the key decisions on the construction of the new stadium in Hunedoara taken?

On December 19, 2022, the Romanian government approved the project, allocating funds for the construction of the stadium. In the process, some assumptions were changed, the planned capacity slightly decreased (to 10,100 spectators) and the estimated costs increased (the amount allocated was around 313.8 million lei or more than €64 million).

In June 2023, Compania Națională de Investiții launched a tender for the design and construction of the new stadium. The opening of the bids was supposed to take place in August of the same year, but one of the companies challenged the terms of the tender and the case went to court, putting the procedure on hold for several months. Finally, the opening of the bids is expected to take place in early 2024.

When will the new stadium in Hunedoara be built?

Before the construction of the new stadium can begin, it will still be necessary to demolish the existing facility, which is to be paid for by the local authorities. The actual investment should start in 2024 and the task is expected to take 28 months, of which six months are reserved for design work.

What will the new Stadionul Michael Klein be like?

The new stadium will be built on the site of its predecessor, in contrast to which it will have a football-specific layout. The stands will surround the pitch on all sides and will be divided into an upper and lower section. The first rows of the auditorium will be high above the pitch and the capacity of the stadium will be 10,100 spectators. The venue should meet UEFA Category 4 requirements.

The stands will be fully covered. The roof sheathing will in a sense be an extension of the stadium's façade, giving it the form of a coherent rectangular block. The façade will be composed of horizontal slats and will be varied with illuminated ribbons that will give the stadium an extravagant appearance. The surroundings will also undergo major changes, while the patron of the venue will remain Michael Klein.