There are 20 tower cranes in total expected on the site, most of them are in place. By the end of the year they should set up not only the auditorium but also the diamond-shaped roof!

In the Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou the largest club-specific stadium ever is gaining pace. In just a month we’ll already be a year into its construction and the changes are becoming more visible by the day.

As the first step, 300,000 cubic metres of soil were excavated in order to make way for the stadium’s foundations and underground levels. By October 3,200 piles were driven into the ground in order to stabilise it, with high water table around. In November the bottom foundation plate was delivered.

In mid-December the first tower crane was erected, and not just any crane. T2200 is among the largest available, with up to 80 metres in range. In total the site, spanning nearly 151,000 square metres, is within the range of 20 cranes, 18 of which are already operating. 12 of them are large and 8 work at lower heights. Four of them stand in what will be the corners of the field.

As we’re writing this, the second underground floor is being finished in portions of the site, covering what will become a massive, 5,300-car parking site. Although work on the garage will take months more, you can also see where the first sections of the auditorium will be set. Keep in mind, the stadium will hold 100,000 people, so even its lowermost seating tier should be massive, expected to accommodate 40,000 spectators.

Diamond dome by year end

Some Chinese internet users have been complaining that there’s not enough progress on the project, with almost a year of work behind us. However, by all accounts the most arduous part is done and now progress should become visible almost on a daily basis. There are 7 above-ground floors waiting to be delivered.

By the end of 2021 the site should resemble the future stadium already. Not only will the concrete seating bowl be almost ready (apart from uppermost rows only), the 12-billion-yuan ($1.85 bn) project should also reach its final height of 92 metres. This step is expected by late November, when the primary steel structure is expected to stand on its own. From that point a year will be left for construction.

© Guangzhou Evergrande

© Guangzhou Evergrande

Particularly impressive by night

It’s been a few months since we last reported on the stadium in July of 2020, so a lot has happened. The host team even changed its name from Guangzhou Evergrande to Guangzhou FC.

Before that happened, the club revealed the stadium’s future illumination. While being packed with lighting is nothing new, the sheer scale and futuristic form deserve some attention, even if only on new renderings for now...

Author: Michał Karaś

© Guangzhou Evergrande

© Guangzhou Evergrande