Sports architecture on the Iberian Peninsula is undergoing a transformation. While in Barcelona, the transformation of Camp Nou is being carried out by the offices of IDOM, Nikken Sekkei, and b720, in the capital of Spain, the renovation works at Santiago Bernabéu, led by L35 Architects in collaboration with GMP Architekten and Ribas & Ribas, are nearing their final stages.
L35 Architects is an architectural, urban planning, and design studio with offices in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Geneva, Miami, Mexico, Bogotá, São Paulo, Santiago, Istanbul, and Abu Dhabi. Currently, they are not only overseeing the remodeling of the stadium in Madrid, but also working on the El Campín cultural and sports complex in Bogotá, the Bolívar stadium in La Paz, the requalification of the waterfront in Toulon, France, and the renovation of Stazione Roma Termini.
We interviewed Tristán López-Chicheri, CEO of L35 Architects, to gain a detailed insight into the current status of the projects.
What were the main inspirations and concepts behind the new design of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium?
Most of the world's major stadiums are built on the outskirts, surrounded by highways and vast parking lots. Santiago Bernabéu is an exception as it is located in the heart of the city, adjacent to Madrid's main artery. The current renovation project began in 2012, but the stadium was originally built in 1947 within an urban fabric that has since evolved, becoming more densely populated over time. Despite its challenging urban context, the stadium has become a potent local symbol and is intertwined with the global collective memory associated with football.
After winning the competition and with a program yet to be defined, envisioning a new Santiago Bernabéu involved finding a flexible envelope system that could adapt to all the variables that would be integrated into the project as it progressed. Furthermore, from the initial sketches for the remodeling concept, the intention was to adjust the massiveness of the building to the scale of the city. Not least, the goal was to create a memorable image for the Bernabéu, a new icon.
We approached the commission as an opportunity to transform not only the building itself but also its relationship with the users, the neighborhood, and the city. We aimed to redefine the balance between the building, the streets, and the squares, redesign pedestrian pathways, and properly integrate various activities, no longer limited to sports but also including commercial, leisure, and recreational elements, with the goal of transforming it into a socio-cultural destination capable of attracting millions of visitors each year.
The design of the entrance beneath the grand overhang facing Paseo de la Castellana provides a face and a public entrance from the city: the grand lobby of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. This architectural solution addresses the absence of a previous main entrance before the remodeling project, giving the stadium an iconic presence that establishes a strong connection with the city and its residents, representing immediate contact with urban life.
The steel band skin and the variable lines that illuminate and project images are standout features of the project. Can you explain how this feature will work and what its main purpose is?
The asymmetric and fluid geometry of the new facade was an early and well-thought-out decision, although we made it under a lot of pressure. Just before presenting a more conventional concept, we kept reconsidering it because it didn't meet the objectives we wanted to achieve. As the deadline approached and while at the airport with Ernesto Klingenberg, an architect on our team, we sketched several drawings on napkins, searching for an envelope that would humanize this macrostructure, have a recognizable identity, and be flexible since we still didn't know the extent of everything it would need to clothe. One of these spontaneous sketches was the genesis of the idea for the New Santiago Bernabéu.
While singular, the geometry of the new envelope is not accidental. The surfaces reflect shifting light, and the smooth curved edges express dynamism. The arrangement of these curves and the breaks they create on the facade influence the perception of the building at the pedestrian level in such a way that the volume is delayed (humanizing its scale) when the street width necessitates a close view and expands when, by leveraging the distance and perspective, the stadium needs to visually dominate and organize its surroundings. At the same time, the shape of the envelope adapts to the needs of the new tertiary program, growing or retracting without losing its unity or character.
The envelope is not conceived as a hermetic framework but rather as a lightweight and permeable steel skin. Through the parametrization of its louvers, it creates openings that allow the entry of light and air, necessary to ensure the natural ventilation required for the functioning of the exterior galleries. This semi-open condition allows for a visual relationship between the interior and the exterior, becoming more distinct during event nights when the stadium is illuminated and takes center stage through its metallic skin. At other times, the aim is to blend the stadium with its surroundings by treating the facade as a subtle mirror that captures the changing activity of the city. The reflective quality of steel, along with a specific surface treatment, produces that characteristic warm and diffused reflection on the facade. Together with the curvature and sinuosity of the forms, it dematerializes the facade and helps reduce its volume and integration into the environment.
The stadium renovation aims to meet the demands of the members and boost the club's revenue. Can you detail how this will be achieved through architectural design and new facilities?
Real Madrid's new approach to diversifying the stadium's uses aligns perfectly with our vision of urban stadiums. We believe that a stadium should operate 365 days a year, be active 24/7, and go beyond the traditional model of an empty box on non-match days, especially in urban settings. A stadium is more than just football, and it is in line with this belief that we have approached other sports facilities, such as the Estadio Simón Bolívar in La Paz, by maximizing accessibility, incorporating public leisure, cultural and commercial activities, and seeking integration into the immediate environment and the life of the city.
In the case of the Bernabéu, a specific element was added, the Plaza de los Sagrados Corazones, which serves as the forecourt to one of the main entrances to the new stadium. This space, previously built upon, is returned to the city, creating a slightly sunken plaza that allows for the creation of a new facade, one level below the stadium, exclusively intended for commercial use.
The diversification of uses is accompanied by a radical improvement in the stadium's operability. As the Bernabéu is tightly integrated into the city, its service was previously carried out from the street at various access points. The new logistics tunnel resolves the service by threading a gallery between the existing foundations, even bypassing the railway tunnel that runs beneath the stadium. This operation enables a segregated and more efficient connection of the logistic and operational circulations of the stadium while freeing up the public space previously used for loading and unloading operations.
The inclusion of a fixed roof and a retractable one is an interesting feature. How will this impact the spectators' experience during events and games?
On one hand, it should be clarified that, unlike arenas or other enclosed venues, football stadiums have open roofs because they must allow for the proper growth of natural grass. Sunlight, rain, and ventilation play a crucial role in keeping the playing surface in perfect condition. It has been a historical back-and-forth debate regarding how much of the stands should be covered in relation to the field, until technology has allowed the scale to tip in favor of the spectator and the spectacle.
Covering the stands not only enhances comfort and protects spectators from rain and sun but also improves the overall experience. The more the stadium is covered, the greater the atmosphere and the "cauldron effect." In addition, the roof provides a framework for hanging multiple elements that enhance the experience: screens, scoreboards, sound systems, lighting, projectors, security cameras. Furthermore, having a roof that can be fully closed allows for the organization of any type of event in a controlled environment, regardless of weather conditions.
As we approach the completion of the renovation, what impact do you think the transformation of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will have on the international image of the club and on the city of Madrid as a whole?
The Santiago Bernabéu is more than a stadium; it is the home of Real Madrid, a local symbol, and a global icon in the history of football. At the same time, it is an imposing structure situated within a densely populated neighborhood in the city. Our challenge as architects has been to renovate a monumental and highly distinctive building, aiming to achieve a new, memorable image while not being a detriment to the neighborhood. Instead, we aimed to contribute to the organization of the surroundings, enhancing the quality and urban values for the citizens. We believe that the stadium's transformation strikes a delicate balance between the global brand representation on one hand and its connection with the urban context on the other.
Project Technical Sheet
Title: Rehabilitation of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Address: Avenida de Concha Espina, 1, Madrid, Spain
Project year: 2012
Expected completion date: 2023
M2 built after renovation: 125.600m²
Credits
Project: L35 Architects, GMP, Ribas & Ribas
L35 Architects Team:
Managing partner: Tristán López-Chicheri
Project coordinator: Alejandro Lorca
Partners: Ernesto Klingenberg, Alejandro Barca, Raquel Pérez
Team managers: Diego Blasco, Guillermo Gusó
Design team / Equipo del proyecto: Concha Salguero, Hendrik Hiddemann, Hugo Martínez, Rafael Ortiz de Solórzano, Diego Fierro, Marta Gómez, Laura Fernández, Marta Canto, Andrés Rebuelta, Gerardo Martínez, Borja Fernandez-Del Vallado, Ana Helena Fernandes, Stefano Melgrati, Jorge Romera, Bosco Pita, Pablo García, Paulo Romero, Sergio Sanz, María Pérez, Roberto Ráez, Iván López-Chicheri, Yanis Amasri.
Client: Real Madrid
Construction company: FCC (main contractor)
Project manager: Bovis
Building surveyor: AYESA
Engineering: INES Ingenieros (Structural concept and design); SBP (Roof structural concept and design) MEP engineering: Aguilera Ingeniería
Landscaping: Porras La Casta Arquitectos
Other consultants: Lichtvision (Lighting); ARUP (Facade); INASUS (Facade); Modelical (BIM); VADA10 (Construction Management); LAC Consultores de Estructuras (Structural Engineering)
Photography: Miguel de Guzmán, Real Madrid
Sketch credits: L35 Architects
