The final stadium in our World Cup series is a striking design by Fenwick Iribarren, adapted and implemented by BDP Pattern
This stadium was originally designed by Spanish practice, Fenwick Iribarren. However, after the client changed the procurement route to design and build, the final design and implementation of the project went to BDP Pattern. Although the appearance of the stadium remained largely unaltered, BDP Pattern significantly reduced the size of the building.
Fenwick Iribarren worked on two other World Cup stadiums, and BDP Pattern also designed the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. In contrast to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, which has a lighter and more porous facade treatment, the Education City Stadium is muscular and brooding. Externally it is low key and restrained compared with some of the other venues. It is certainly one of the more architecturally coherent stadiums, with clear, clean lines and a logical and unfussy design approach.
Once the World Cup is over, this stadium will be downsized from a 40,000 to 20,000 capacity, and given over to use by a range of different sports and higher education insitutions as part of its role within the wider Education City campus. The 20,000 surplus seats will be donated and repurposed to help create new sports stadiums in the developing world.
BDP Pattern say that the stadium was conceived as a ”shimmering diamond”, but this building looks more industrial chic or sci-fi than gemstone.
The former Daily Mail printworks has been stripped back to its structural frame ready for conversion into an office and conference facility. It will also incorporate a nightclub called Printworks which was a former, successful meanwhile use
The firm’s senior partner on growing up in Ireland, the barriers to becoming an architect, his love of travel and the best food to accompany a pint of Guinness
Source: Courtesy of Jim Venturi
National Gallery. Exterior view from street (no bus!)
Oriana Fernandez reviews Stardust, a film that reveals the human story behind Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown’s groundbreaking partnership
No comments yet