Real Madrid stadium's designers to build 20,000-seat arena in Ostrava
Baník Ostrava will return to the historic Bazaly site in 2030 at a new large football stadium, which city officials excitedly project will also become a cultural landmark for Ostrava. L35 Arquitectos — the Spanish studio that renovated Real Madrid’s stadium, Santiago Bernabéu — will design the 20,000-seat arena in Ostrava.
Ostrava’s FC team used to play at Bazaly from 1959 to 2015 before moving to its current location in Vítkovice, which city officials say is no longer adequate for modern football. With a budget of 2.5 billion Czech crowns, the Bazaly stadium is slated to include a club museum, fan shops, restaurants, and other retail spaces. When the city of Ostrava worked with architects and Baník representatives to host an international architectural competition for the project, L35 Arquitectos was unanimously selected from 30 teams from around the world. The Spanish studio has also created new football stadiums in La Paz and Dubai, among its over 200 projects across four continents. City officials have applauded the upcoming stadium’s simple, compact design, which will pay homage to the city’s mining and industrial heritage with a solid basalt base and a perforated metal facade. Construction will start in 2029.
The project has seen some backlash as some people allege that the Bazaly site poses challenges for construction due to underground gas leaks and mining damage. However, Ostrava officials have stated that all safety and environmental challenges will be solved ahead of time. The arena is set to comply with UEFA’s highest standards so that Ostrava can host international football matches, as well as the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) certification for sustainability and energy efficiency.
