Argentina: Three designs for the new Bombonera - what is the future of the stadium?
source: Stadiony.net; author: Kuba Kowalski
Fans of Boca Juniors have been hearing more and more about the various possibilities regarding their stadium for some time now. La Bomonera is one of the most recognisable venues in the world, but will it continue to please our eye? Three designs have already been unveiled in Buenos Aires, and one of them could turn into the Nueva Bombonera.
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Andres Ibarra's design
Andres Ibarra, one of the candidates for president of Boca Juniors, was the last to present the Nueva Bombonera project. The arena would be built on the site of the Casa Amarilla training centre and would accommodate 105,000 fans. The cost of building the facility in this location would be $400 million.
The visualisation shows the bridge that connects the new stadium to the old Bombonera. The design envisages that the old facility would serve as an 'addition', where instead of the familiar pavilion with boxes in front, there would be a screen of the same size so that fans of the old Bombonera could watch their players play. As a result, both stadiums would theoretically be able to accommodate more than 150,000 fans.
The guarantee of the success of the investment is to be provided by Mauricio Macri, who, through his contacts, will be able to find an overseas 'donor' for the new stadium. He is also expected to receive domestic loans. The plan to build the facility in three to four years seems very fast, but it could be feasible if everyone involved in the project rises to the challenge. With the new stadium being the focal point of the election campaign, Ibarra has presented his project in some detail.
Andres Ibarra's design
Jorge Reale's design
One of the candidates for the presidency is Jorge Reale, who has also presented a new stadium concept for the club in a completely new location. Reale's plan is very ambitious - it involves the construction of a blue-and-gold arena on a 12-hectare site on Demarchi Island, just 1.3 km from the historic site at 805 Brandsen St. The candidate toured the site by helicopter and met with renowned architect Enrique Lombardi, who is responsible for the concept of the proposed facility.
Following a survey of the ground, the possibility of building a huge stadium on the island was confirmed. The new Bomboniera in this location would have a capacity of 112,000 spectators under the roof! In addition, it would have 444 VIP seats, 78 TV cabins, 4 000 parking spaces and twice the size of its predecessor.
As for the historic Estadio Alberto J. Armando, Reale has plans for it. He wants it to be used by women's football teams, youth teams and for special matches. In addition, the project aims to generate a 'virtual circulation' between the two stadiums, which would revitalise the neighbourhood by generating more activity.
Jorge Reale's design
Bombonera 360 design
Tentatively named Bombonera 360, the concept was conceived back in 2015, but it was not until the end of 2019 that it was officially selected by Boca Juniors presidential candidate Jorge Amor Ameal and, following his election victory, became the official vision that the club would strive to realise.
In the face of other concepts, the Bombonera 360 project has been off the radar, but is still an option. The vision for the stadium is roughly based on fulfilling the vision of the Bombonera's creators, the 'Delpini-Sulcic-Bes' - they were some of the best architects of the time in the country. It is about the symmetry of the building, which was not possible to achieve almost 80 years ago.
To get a fully symmetrical layout, the main objective is to buy out the two residential quarters behind the eastern side of the stadium. These are located on Iberlucei, Zolezzi and Brandsen streets. The residents, however, do not see themselves moving out and are determined to stay in their homes despite the club's strenuous and repeated attempts. They are not even encouraged by the buyout of the flats at 2.5 times the market price.
Bombonera 360 design
Will any of the options be implemented in the future? What about the future of the legendary La Bombonera? We will know more about this soon - so stay tuned.
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