It’s hard to keep track, since this is already the third concept for Yekaterinburg. This one completely discards what was proposed last year and goes in the direction of the first idea, from 2010. But as it evolves, something fresh is found as well.

When Russia submitted their bid with 2010 visions of Tim Hupe architects, the Yekaterinburg stadium was to retain its historical facades and not get new external cladding. The only obstruction to its outer appearance would be the tall pylons supporting new roof, hanging over the stadium like a flying saucer. And, obviously, new stands were expected to outgrow the old facades. It’s a nearly 20,000-seat increase, after all (from 27,000 to 45,000). One disadvantage of this proposal was the need to destroy most recent upgrades made to the stadium.

Then in 2012 a completely new vision was presented, one respecting both the historical yellow facades and the 2011 upgrade. Cost-effective, only with temporary stands being added behind goals and new membrane roof along the sides, this one seemed to make sense in terms of sustainability.

But it is no more, anyway. New ideas were again presented this year and one of them has been approved by the Sverdlovsk governor a few days back. It’s again a lot more monumental, almost dominating the landscape with its scale. Roof is again self-supported and independent from the stands. The old facades are now to be hidden behind a largely perforated wrap installed outside. Still, one could see them during day and perhaps even more impressively with nighttime illumination.

As for stands, their layout is also back to the 2010 proposal for the most part. No athletic track, pitch sunken 6 meters further into the ground to accommodate the first tier and a completely new second tier with waved shape to fit properly under the new roof.