The new Xi’an International Football Centre designed by Zaha Hadid Architects will seat 60,000 spectators for national and international matches as well as domestic league games, youth training academies, entertainment performances and cultural events.
The stadium will be located in Xi’an's Fengdong New District within the orthogonal urban grid of Fengdong’s business district. A series of shaded south-facing garden terraces will also serve spectators visiting the stadium during football matches, cultural events and performances.
Zaha Hadid Architects applied sweeping lines along the facade to protect the stadium from northerly winds. The fluid form of the roof shelters the saddle-shaped seating bowl that maximizes the spectator seating provided at midfield.
The architects opted for an ultra-lightweight long span cable-net roof structure. A translucent membrane protects spectators from inclement weather and direct sunlight. With digital modelling the designers defined a geometry that optimizes proximity and views to the field of play from all 60,000 seats.
