The World Cup represents a unique moment in the rich history of Morocco. A moment which should not just remain a singular sport event, but an occasion to create a new infrastructure that will trigger excitement and prosperity for many generations to come.
A Unique Moment in the Rich History of Morocco
The new stadium therefore cannot be just another football stadium like so many that have been built in previous World Cups and Olympic games. Just a handful of them sticks in our memory and mind. The architectural concept that we propose is based on the very premise that people will remember it over many years like the historic architectures that we all admire since the ancient times. The architecture of the new stadium is very iconic yet simple and pure. It does not seek luxurious extravagance but rather a classical and majestic appearance. At the same time the new Stadium is a strong expression of Morroco’s modernity and a messenger of the digital age.
An Architecture Providing a Strong Identity: An Open and Inviting Stadium
The new Grand Stade de Casablanca presents itself with elegance and purity, resembling a shimmering white vessel set against the lush green backdrop of the Ben Slimane Forest. Its design redefines innovation through radical simplicity, embracing pure geometry to create a striking transparent form. Strategically positioned at the site’s highest point, the stadium is a landmark visible from afar.
Harmoniously integrated within the surrounding nature, it respects the site’s unique topography, and bridges the gap between the inside of the stadium and its surrounding landscape. Its slender steel columns play a crucial role in its design, creating an open structure that welcomes visitors from all sides. In this sense, the columns embody the very essence of our architectural concept: while being highly functional, they form the majestic elegance of our stadium. Designed as a state-of-the-art arena, it masterfully encapsulates an array of emotions during games, while accommodating up to 115,000 guests.
An Architecture Centered Around the Spectator’s Experience
The stadium’s architecture is defined by two concentric perfectly round vessels complementing each other to enhance the overall design. The inner vessel is the core of the stadium, housing the seating area for 115,000 spectators and the pitch, optimized to meet the highest FIFA standards in terms of comfort, visibility, safety, and security. This intimate yet grand environment cultivates a collective experience where fans feel united in their passion, despite the vast size of the space. Nothing distracts them from the game, the cheering crowds in fact, become the essence and heartbeat of the stadium. The new Grand Stade de Casablanca is more than just a sports arena; it is a symbol of collective emotions and aesthetic innovation.
An Architecture of Light
Encircling the inner seating bowl is the outer vessel, an open and inviting façade composed of slender, shimmering white steel columns that stretch skyward. Allowing for a play of light and shadow, the façade offers different moods through the shadows cast at different times of day, and creates an ever-changing subtle pattern within the space between the two bowls.
A Dynamic Façade
During the day, the rhythm of the columns cast intricate shadows while reflecting the sky, the surrounding trees, and the movement of people underneath. At night, they transform the façade into a radiant display, mirroring the vibrant colors of the teams and the spirit of the crowd, thus becoming a luminous symbol of the game’s energy.
This dynamic exterior does more than captivate the eye; it communicates the emotions and action taking place inside the stadium to the outside world. The illuminated façade, visible from afar, becomes a vessel of light and effervescence, resonating with the collective emotions of the game and the fans. Our design seamlessly blends functionality with a profound and innovative architectural statement.
Plan Guide – Flexible & Resilient Development
The pure shape of the stadium, floating above the highest topographical point of the site, initiates a network of clear guidelines, allowing flexible development of the site according to programmatic needs. The Plan Guide emphasizes the elegance of the stadium and guided the development of its environment, while effortlessly blending with the existing landscape and anticipating future needs such as temporary facilities and the possibility of hosting the Olympic Games.
The Agricultural Grid
The heritage of the site’s current agricultural grid, which runs perpendicular to the main axis across the entire site, provides a framework for all future construction projects. As a footprint which includes a range of facilities such as sports and rehabilitation centers, leisure amenities like an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a convention center, as well as hotels, restaurants, and residential units.
The Ben Slimane Forest will be rejuvenated with a careful selection of trees that are resistant to the specific’s climate conditions. By reinvigorating the local forest, we create a beneficial microclimate around the stadium, fostering biodiversity, fresh air, and the regulation of temperatures.
The Spine – A Path Anticipating the A Spectator’s Experience
A gently curved central axis, as a promenade, is laid out, running through the entire length of the site. It links the two main entrances — one from the new train station and the other from the new highway — directly to the stadium. This axis, drawing visitors from both sides, widens at two key points into oval-shaped clearings within the forest. Encircled by trees, they are designated spaces for temporary structures like fan villages or for other versatile uses as required.
An Architecture Suited to the Climate: Sustainable and Specific Development
The open structure of the facade not only gives an iconic shape to the stadium but also enhances its environmental efficiency. By regulating and filtering light and airflow, it provides natural ventilation and shading inside and around the stadium.
From the very first sketches, our new stadium project integrates a focus on sustainability, by implementing an approach that adapts to the local climate and anticipates future climate changes. It defines passive and simple measures that make it cost-efficient while harnessing renewable energy strategies.
The Largest Photovoltaic Roof for Sports Facilities
A pioneering feature of the design is the stadium’s roof, equipped with highly efficient photovoltaic panels. Set to become the largest solar roof ever mounted on a football stadium, the installation generates energy that not only suffices for game-day requirements but also yields a significant surplus. This surplus energy is envisioned to power additional future constructions on the site. Our Grand Stade de Casablanca will be a pioneer in the sustainable use of energy in sports facilities.
Climate-Responsive Design
Furthermore, the smart architectural design plays a pivotal role in enhancing sustainability. Beyond the stadium’s unique shape, the design provides visitors much-needed protection from sunlight and adverse weather conditions. Ventilation is addressed through the stadium’s open structure, facilitating natural air circulation, and enhancing the comfort of the spectators. Thus, by design, we significantly reduce the demand for artificial cooling, limited to the VIP areas and players’ spaces. Complementing the passive, natural shading concept, is the innovative use of textile-like metal sheets, strategically positioned to create a layering effect akin to a Mashrabiya, increasing the stadium’s natural cooling mechanism. Rainwater and condensation harvesting is another cornerstone of our sustainable design. The rainwater collected from the roof can be used for irrigating the field and the surrounding forest. The lavish greenery of the forest creates a healthy microclimate that not only purifies and cools the air, but also offers opportunities for leisure, sports, and residential activities.
A Local Cost-effective Construction
The construction approach of our stadium is a vital element of its sustainability ethos, marked by cost-efficiency and community involvement. Emphasizing minimal material usage, the design employs a combination of concrete and steel, striking a balance between durability and resource efficiency. This selective use of materials not only reduces construction costs but also minimizes environmental impact.
The entire stadium is envisioned to be constructed using local companies, leveraging the reknown craftsmanship of Moroccan contractors. The simplicity of project execution—being both highly sensory and functional, inviting yet protective—aligns perfectly with the great potentials of the local industry.
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