Current plans of building from scratch are based on the assumption that existing national stadium cannot be upgraded. But it can, or so claim known Belgian architects.

Renowned domestically, the Goedefroo + Goedefroo architectural office carried out an analysis of the current Koning Boudewijn Stadion redevelopment viability.

So far it was widely understood the stadium is impossible to revamp within a reasonable budget to meet modern standards. That’s why the plan of building new 60,000-capacity arena across the road, at Parking C, was drawn.

However, the architects evaluate that it’s indeed entirely possible to properly upgrade existing infrastructure to make it a modern event arena. Even more, the operation would be three times cheaper than building the proposed new stadium.

Current plan is priced at €314 million, while Goedefroo + Goedefroo estimate reconsturction of old Heysel would stand at €110 million. It’s a cost-efficient plan, but also one focused on sustainability and limiting environmental impact. It would, among other means, reuse materials from the current structure.

It’s not clear who ordered the study and why would it be conducted at this stage. It may be too late to change the fate of current national stadium, which is set for demolition. The new stadium plan is already greenlighted and awaits groundbreaking, it also has financial structure secured. The Heysel site itself also has a solid plan of being transformed into a multi-use complex.