A theatre of sport

Green Point Stadium in Cape Town is set to step into the spotlight, without upstaging its dramatic natural backdrop

Cape Town’s most spectacular and renowned landmark is not a man-made structure, but a mountain. As well as having a dramatic visual presence, Table Mountain plays a large part in forming the shape and character of the city. When it comes to architecture, competing with nature is not an option in Cape Town, so the designs of the 68,000 capacity stadium in Green Point for the 2010 World Cup were developed to harmonise with the surrounding landscape.

The new stadium will produce the perfect picture
with Table Mountain in the background

“Table Mountain had a huge impact on the design,” says Dave Hugo, Cape Town’s 2010 technical service delivery integration director. “Table Mountain is so important to Cape Town that we felt the stadium should not compete with the unique line of the mountain. We didn’t want it to be a flat box”.

Far from being a square structure, the stadium has been designed to blend perfectly into the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain. A respect for the surrounding topography is clear from the architects’ report, which states: “The stadium has been consciously designed as a sculptural object, relying on a sweeping silhouette for its visual impact.”

The design was also inspired by another icon of Western Cape – an upturned abalone shell. But nature was just one of many forces exerted on the design of Green Point Stadium. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) also has great authority over stadium design, stipulating in detail the requirements on view lines, capacity and quality standards that have to be met.

Concerned citizens also held sway over the plans. One of the biggest challenges for the architects was to satisfy local residents. “Concern was expressed over the size, financing and environmental impact of the stadium, which included noise pollution and light pollution as well as ‘visual pollution’,” Hugo says. “We have hosted several public participation meetings to get the input and, ultimately, consent from the Green Point community.”

To please local residents, a raised platform will be built around the stadium to minimise its visual impact. The stadium will be as high as a 14-storey building, but the podium will make it seem shorter.

The stadium has been conceived in imaginative terms. “We have designed it as a container for a theatre of sport,” says Hugo. “The actual event will lend colour, the people will be the attraction and the human ritual inherent in the activity of sport will activate the space”.

The net result of the design process, the architects say, is a stadium that competes with all world-class contemporary designs for new soccer stadiums.

Low-impact roof
One of the concerns raised by the community was the level of noise that crowds could generate. The architects had to bear in mind that noise would have to be equal to or lower than the old stadium had emitted – even during concerts. German specialists were called in to achieve this.
To contain costs, the idea of a solid roof was discarded. “We considered a solid, closing roof but that would have an impact on the structure of the stadium as it would have to be large,” Hugo says. “The stadium would also have been too tall.”

A soft, closing roof, as at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt, Germany, was also considered but, during the 2006 World Cup, it proved problematic when safety valves opened as too much water had accumulated on the roof. “We don’t want that to happen in our stadium,” Hugo says. “Apart from that, this system also creates too much shade over the field.”
The architects have now specified a roof that only covers the stands. The gap in the roof will be the same size as the field and positioned so as to optimise the amount of shade and sunlight enjoyed within the stadium.

“The stadium’s roof will cover the stands but it will be open above the field,” explains Hugo. “This meets FIFA requirements to allow enough fresh air and water in, as required to maintain the pitch in good condition, and it won’t throw shade over the field”.
Noise will be minimised by adapting the design and using special materials. The stands will be covered by a translucent roof comprising two layers. Between those layers, services, like public announcement systems, will be installed.

The upper cover will be fashioned from opaque glass covered with a white PVC membrane internally. The inner 16m will be a cantilever portion covered with clear glass.

Materials for the roof have been chosen carefully to reduce potential noise and light pollution. “The roof will be a ‘ring of fire’ as in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in Germany. We will install floodlights in the roof to optimise illumination and reduce wastage of light to accommodate people living nearby.”

The chosen materials also afford a curved edge on the building to avoid any visual competition between the straight edge of Table Mountain and the roof edge of the stadium.

Light and airy
The outer façade has been designed to virtually reduce the dimensions of the building. “The outer skin of the stadium will be a lightweight membrane construction,” explains Hugo. “Large elements of approximately 2m by 10m will create a uniform, smooth skin that abstracts the building from any scale – it will be difficult to measure the size of the building in this context.”
Made of PTFE, this skin will be waterproof and windproof. The membrane comprises expansive concave elements that form a cohesive flowing facade, which follows the stadium’s undulating shape. The fibreglass tissue emphasises this effect as its colour creates a sense of depth and animation. The translucent surface absorbs and reflects the effect of the existing daylight, according to the architects.

The PTFE skin is also breathable, to allow air into the stadium. Plenty of air is essential not just for crowds but to maintain a healthy playing surface. “Everything is in place to ensure a good quality field. We only hope FIFA will take a decision soon to allow us to create a test field for some trials.”

With less than three years to go, it is important to know what type of surface is required. Hugo says this is enough time to allow the natural turf industry to provide the best surface possible. The artificial grass industry, on the other hand, says that the 2010 event will be the first FIFA World Cup event that will be held on artificial grass.

Traffic management
Initially, the designers planned to create additional parking space beneath the field, but geological factors intervened. “We found out that there would be only 800mm between the field and the rocky soil beneath it. As this is not enough to install irrigation and the parking garage, we decided to exclude the garage, since removing the rock would have too much of an impact on the budget”.

The problem of parking has therefore shifted to around the stadium. “During big events, fans will be asked to park their cars around the various sports fields we are planning to create within the precinct. Some of these fields will also be the responsibility of the stadium facility managers whereas others will belong to various clubs,” says Hugo.

It is debatable whether this will be the perfect solution. Despite Cape Town introducing a rapid-bus system that links the stadium to the train and bus stations downtown, rugby fans in particular tend to prefer to bring cars. By that time the stadium’s capacity will have been reduced from 68,000 to 55,000, but nevertheless many people are predicting huge traffic and parking problems.

Flexible use
For facility managers, Green Point Stadium will certainly be challenging. The structure itself is set in stone; or, as Hugo says: “There is no fiddling with structural elements”. But there is enough opportunity to move refreshment points around. “A total of 19 kiosks could be provided on the second level while another seven temporary kiosks will be available on the sixth level,” he discloses. “Apart from that, levels 3, 4 and 5 will include business clubs, offices and VIP suites with their own warm-up kitchens.”

The business club and hospitality areas could also be used as restaurants with capacity for 2,000 guests a day. The main kitchen for the stadium is planned to be in the basement. In addition to this, suites and lounges could be used as meeting facilities.

Hugo also expects several companies to occupy space in the stadium. “Fitness club Virgin Active and McDonalds have already expressed interest in moving their existing facilities closer or into the stadium." A museum is also on the cards.

After the World Cup
Maximising Green Point Stadium’s use after the World Cup was a major design consideration. It has been designed to be compatible with rugby matches too, and it is hoped that the stadium will become the home ground for a rugby team, such as the Western Province Rugby Football Union, when the 2010 football World Cup is over. A rugby field is more or less the same width as a football field, but requires an extra 25m in length.

Green Point Stadium will be a multi-functional venue, hosting other sporting events, concerts or mass gatherings. “We intend to lease the facility management contract out for 30 years,” Hugo says. “As long as the stadium can provide a proper pitch, it is up to the facility manager to exploit the stadium,” he adds.

Any future uses of the stadium must be decided in conjunction with local residents. “Changes or events that will have a huge impact will have to be discussed with the City of Cape Town,” Hugo says. As well as the stadium, the contractor is also entitled to look after several fields next to the stadium, as well as a part of the precinct itself.

Surprises for spectators
Overseas visitors could be in for some surprises. FIFA wants to prevent fans entering the pitch at all costs, so in order to meet safety standards, the field will be surrounded by a 2m-wide moat. In European stadiums, moats are no longer used as they create too much distance between fans and players. Fans are encouraged to behave better and strict legislation is enforced instead. Fans in Europe are, therefore, used to being allowed to sit virtually at the edge of the field.

Once the 2010 event is gone the top-tier will be removed

But because of the moat, and because the field must meet rugby dimensions, football fans with seats behind the goal posts will be more than 12m away from the pitch.

Nevertheless, the architects understand the need to bring the fans close to the action. To make sure all fans are able to enjoy matches at Green Point Stadium, the three-tiered seating area is very steep. “Some visitors may find it a bit like climbing Table Mountain.” Hugo is, however, confident that all fans will have a perfect view of the field. “There will not be any bad seats,” he says.

Spectators who opt for a season ticket – even after 2010 – may be comforted to know that the top tier will be removed after the World Cup. The City of Cape Town does not believe the seating capacity of 68,000 will be necessary after 2010. This space may be used for corporate boxes for rugby sponsors and fans.

Striving for the “Green Goal”
Environmental aspects also play an important role in the design. The stadium has been designed with the FIFA Green Goal Programme in mind. Storm water will be used to irrigate the sports precinct, and ablution facilities will be fitted with dual-flush toilets. “We are still reviewing whether or not we should capture water from the roof for re-use,” Hugo says.
It is certain that a solid waste compacter will be installed. The facility manager will also be entitled to make use of recyclable take-away packaging.

However, not all environment-friendly plans will come to fruition. Rumours that the Green Point Stadium would be used to capture solar power for the city have been quashed. “We are still looking at purchasing energy from the Darling wind farm but we will certainly not include solar panels – neither for our own consumption nor for the supply of electricity to the neighbourhood. Available space on the roof is simply too limited.”

The FIFA Green Goal will ensure that the stadium will have all the ingredients to become a world class environmentally friendly venue. But with little parking space for fans and a novel approach to spectator comfort as compared to stadiums elsewhere in the world, we can only wait until the official opening to see if Cape Town has managed to get all the ingredients right.