Gürsel Aksel Stadyumu – design description

We could easily call this stadium Suiss because it includes a spatial layout tested in that country. That is placing the playing field not on ground level but above it, leaving the ground floor for commerce, parking and other uses. Not without a reason, as there is little space left after the old Gürsel Aksel Stadı, just over 30,000 m² with a tight height limit imposed by local zoning.

And yet the Istanbul-based DB Architects office (known for Vodafone Arena) managed to fit quite a lot here. Apart from stands for over 20,000 people and the ground floor being free for other uses there is also a significant pavilion conjoined with the stadium from the south, ensuring the complex will be able to operate on a daily basis instead of just matchday use.

Even more, the stadium will offer the very first ever green and public viewing deck on the roof. Independently of regular use people will be able to climb all of the stadium and walk around the entire cover to admire the view. Placed at exactly 28.3 meters the roof is below height limit and yet above surrounding buildings, so it gives quite a view of the dramatic landscape and the Aegean Sea.