Volgograd Arena – design description

The final concept of Volgograd’s new stadium envisages – like the previous ones – complete demolition of the old Rotor stadium aside the Volga River and raising a new ground from scratch. German GMP Architekten were awarded the design contract, winning the approval with their wicker-inspired vision, one of three proposed.

The construction process was divided into phases. First one will see the key element of the stadium built – all stands. Spreading over two tiers, stands will be accessible from the vast promenade around the stadium. Business and VIP seats were designed mostly within the main stand, thus there was no need to create a separate balcony for corporate clients around the stadium.

Phases 2-3 will see a large steel compression ring created over the stands and then filled inside with a lightweight tensile structure. Roof sheets will mostly consist of membrane, while a narrow inner ring will be made of glass to provide sunlight access.

Phases 4-6 will see the most distinctive part of the stadium mounted: large facades with the wicker theme that won’t surround the stadium closely, leaving much space for additional facilities behind the stands. That part of the stadium will have its own membrane cover.