Hernán De Solminihac, President of the Commission Stadium, reviewed the proposals of the nine studios that were presented in response to the competition launched; in collaboration with César Azcárate, IDOM’s director of sports projects and architect to be in charge of the project.
The new stadium will be a quality architectural icon for the community, visible from the environment and respectful of it, inspired by the traditional materials of Chilean architecture while looking to the future of football in the country.
The construction works are scheduled to begin during the first half of 2022 and end in the second half of 2023, allowing the new venue to host some sports events of the Pan American Games to be held in Santiago in October of that year.
From an architectural perspective, the project plan is divided into sections due to its location at the foot of the Cordillera, on a slight slope and looking towards the city of Santiago.
The main building will house the majority of the design’s hospitality features. Working up from the existing stadium, which is anchored to the ground as if it were a Greek amphitheatre, the design increases its capacity from 14,000 to 20,000 spectators. The use of wood as the main element in both the facade and roof structure creates a consistent dialogue throughout the external construction as well as being desirable for its sustainable approach in the modernisation of the stadium.
The continuous boulevard allows access to all the upper part of the lower stands, and the new volumetric configuration will allow the stadium to open or close, covering the stands with ease. This allows for an improved football atmosphere, for better acoustics and greater comfort for spectators when depending on the weather.
The stadium will also be, for each day and all seasons, economically sustainable and with a wide range of hospitality activities; providing value and services to the community.