Soccer City Stadium

Nasrec, Johannesburg, South Africa
Client: City of Johannesburg
Architects: Boogertman Urban Edge + Partners, Populous
Landscape Architects: Uys and White
Structural Engineers: PDNA Consulting Engineers, Schlaich Bergermann & Partners
Civil Engineers: Phumelela Africa Professional Engineers
Contractors: Grinaker-LTA/ BAM International, The Aveng Group, BAM International
Project Managers: Phumelela Africa Professional Engineers

A Calabash, one of the symbols of rural African life, was the inspiration for this massive stadium – the flagship venue for the FIFA World Cup 2010. The largest stadium in Africa, with a seating capacity of 94,700, this stadium hosted several matches, including both the opening match and the final.

Cuurently home to the South African Football Federation, the stadium, formerly known as the FNB stadium underwent a major upgrade for the 2010 tournament, with a new design inspired by the shape of an African pot. Designed by the South African architects Boogertman + Partners in collaboration with Populous, construction started in February 2007 and was completed in October 2009. The cladding on the outside is a mosaic of fire and earthen colours with a ring of lights running around the bottom of the structure, simulating fire underneath the pot.

The upgrade included: an extended upper tier around the stadium to increase the capacity to tournament capacity of 88,958an additional 2 executive suites, an encircling roof, new changing room facilities and new floodlights. The number of suites in the stadium was increased to 195.

Project architect, Bob van Bebber of Boogertman Urban Edge, discusses the design below.

Van Bebber describes building the stadium as an almost vertical learning curve in this interview.

More about the stadium here.