FC Barcelona has announced 14 teams in the running for two planned overhauls of their facilities at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, including alterations to their main stadium and the rebuilding of the Palau Blaugrana, the nearby arena owned by the club and used primarily for basketball and handball. The alterations to the two buildings are part of a larger €600 million project, known officially as "Nou Espai Barça," which seeks to improve the club's entire campus, also adding an ice skating rink, new offices, 5,000 parking spaces and improving the outdoor space surrounding the facilities. The Nou Espai Barça project was approved by the club's fanbase last April after a 72% vote in favor of the proposal.
The list names eight teams - including BIG, Populous, HKS and Arup Sport - in the running for the overhaul of the stadium itself, which will involve the addition of almost 6,000 seats to bring the stadium's total capacity to 105,000, increasing the stadium's lead as the largest football stadium in Europe. It will also include a complete redesign of the lowest seating tier to offer improved views, and the addition of a roof over the terraces. Also named are the six teams in the running to rebuild the Palau Blaugrana.
The Finalists
For the New Camp Nou:
- AECOM + b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos
- Arup Sport + Ricardo Bofill Taller De Arquitectura
- BIG + IDOM-ACXT + BAAS Arquitectura
- Gensler Sport + OAB
- HKS + Cox + Batlle i Roig Arquitectes
- KSS Architects + Mateo Arquitectura
- Nikken Sekkei + Pascual i Ausió Arquitectes
- Populous + MIAS Architects + RCR Arquitectes
For the New Palau Blaugrana:
- Dominique Perrault Architecture + Massip-Bosch Arquitectes
- gmp architekten + GCA Arquitectes
- HOK + TAC Arquitectes
- Make + BCQ Arquitectes
- Mandago Arquitectos + Bach Arquitectes + R. Sanabria Arquitectes + I. Paricio
- Wilkinson Eyre Architects + A. Balaguer Riera Arquitectes
The shortlisted teams will now receive the technical information required for the design, and will have until November (for the Palau Blaugrana) and early December (for the Camp Nou) to complete their designs, with a winner announced shortly after. Construction of the Nou Espai Barça project is scheduled to begin in 2017, with a completion date scheduled for 2021.
News via FC Barcelona with additional information from ESPN.
Main image of Camp Nou stadium via Shutterstock.com
