Slovenian firm OFIS Arhitekti's bio-inspired football stadium is finally nearing completion after five years of design and construction. Wrapped in an aluminum skin with blob-shaped openings, this organically shaped building was designed as the new home stadium for the football club FC BATE Borisov. The gently rounded structure is being built just south of Belarus' city center on a site surrounded by large expanses of lush forest.
Though the football stadium was originally scheduled to open in 2012, construction pushbacks have delayed the stadium’s inauguration to later this year. Built to accommodate 13,000 spectators, the stadium also includes space for retail, offices, and VIP rooms. Inspired by the architecture of living cells, OFIS Arhitekti stretched a shiny, cellular-like skin over the enclosed domed stadium, evoking images of a living building.
The stadium’s rounded shape is optimized for acoustics that will amplify the excitement and noise of the crowd during a game. A rounded 3,000 square foot pedestrian plaza surrounds the stadium and branches out to roads and parking lots that extend into the forest. The arena’s large footprint was designed to meet the requirements for the Union of European Football Association’s Category 4, which will enable the football club to host games in the playoffs.
Via Dezeen
Images via OFIS Arhitekti
