Ankara Stadyumu – design description

How did the design for a new, state-of-the art stadium in Ankara happen?

In 2018, old Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadyumu, located in the centre of the Turkish capital, was demolished. At the same time, the concept of a much larger and football-specific arena to be built on the site of the decommissioned facility was born. Initial assumptions spoke of a capacity of 55,000 spectators. The project did not get off the ground immediately, however, and the concept has since been revised slightly, reducing the capacity to 45,000 spectators.

What function will the new stadium in the centre of Ankara have?

The new, state-of-the-art stadium in the centre of Ankara would become something akin to a national stadium and, with its creation, the country's football team would be able to visit the capital much more often than before. The facility would also attract a range of other sporting and non-sporting events.  Ankaragücü club is also to become the new stadium host.

However, with the capacity reduced to 45,000 spectators, the question arises whether the stadium will meet all ambitions and expectations. It is worth noting that a number of modern stadiums of similar capacity have been built in Turkey in recent years, so the new facility in Ankara will not be unusual on a national scale. National stadiums built in the 21st century in Central and Eastern European countries, such as those in Warsaw, Budapest and Bucharest, exceed the capacity of the planned Ankara venue, even though they are located in smaller conurbations and countries with lower populations.

What will the new Ankara Stadyumu be like?

The concept by Bahadır Kul Architects calls for the construction of tall, two-tier stands that will surround the football pitch on all sides. The upper edge of the auditorium will undulate, reaching its highest point at a central part along the pitch, thus matching the elliptical shape of the venue. Seats in the stadium will be white and red. The capacity of the facility will be 45,000 spectators.

The stands will be fully covered with a canopy. The roof will have a strongly convex form, resembling a dome. It will be supported by four huge arch trusses. Large sections of the roof (over the central part of each of the four sides of the stands) will be glazed, giving the facility an interesting, distinctive appearance. The stadium pitch will be slightly rotated from its predecessor so that it is on a north-south axis.

Four main entrance promenades will lead into the stadium, one on each side. The area around the stadium will be completely reorganised, involving, among other things, the removal of the nearby athletics stadium, indoor arena, training pitches and tennis courts. New parking spaces and green areas will be created instead.

When will the new Ankara Stadyumu be built?

Construction of the new stadium only started four years after the demolition of the old Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadyumu. The contract was signed on June 13, 2022, with the main contractor being a consortium of Yıldızlar Grup and ASL İnşaat, selected from among seven entities invited to participate in the tender process. The value of the project is 4.52 billion Turkish lira, with public funding provided. The facility is expected to be completed by 2025 at the latest.