Kazan Arena is the home of the Russian Premier League football club Rubin Kazan. In 2013 the stadium also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2013 Summer Universiade (World University Games) - the second largest sporting participation event in the world.
Populous’ inventive design solution for the stadium addressed a number of factors that influenced the brief, including site conditions associated with its situation on the confluence of two rivers and the desire of the city authorities for the project to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the wider area.
In addition, important heritage considerations have been tackled as the arena is visible from the ancient Kazan Kremlin, a World Heritage Site.
The form of the stadium is influenced by its proximity to water and the city’s famed riverscapes, representing a water-borne flowering plant that has floated down the river from the vast and fertile hinterland and taken hold in the meadow.
The design of the bowl reflects the commitment to providing excellent viewing standards and creating a cauldron-like atmosphere in which all spectators can see and interact with each other. Overall, with the associated podium rising from five to eight levels, the structure reaches 50 metres above ground level; tall compared to typical European football stadia.
The decision to concentrate the majority of the seats on the sides dictates the massing of the building and has facilitated the striking barrel vault roof form which spans in excess of 120 metres. The roof is also designed to withstand severe snowfalls, for which Kazan is well-known within Russia.
The Kazan Arena also incorporates the largest media façade in Europe.Occupying an area of 4,000 sq. m, including 2,000 sq. m in HD quality, which broadcast the 2013 Summer Universiade Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as the football tournament hosted in the stadium.
The capital and largest city of the Republic of Tartarstan, Kazan is known as the ‘Sports Capital of Russia’. As well as acting as host city for the 2013 Summer Universiade,both the 2015 World Aquatics Championships and the 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place in the city.
Populous was appointed in 2009 to design the Kazan Arena, as part of a consortium including The Russian Association for Sport and Leisure Facilities (RASF), Intex and The Central Research and Experimental Design Institute for industrial buildings and structures or “TsNIIPromzdaniy” (TSNII).
The design team was then consolidated with the addition of “tatinvestgrazdanproekt”, the Tartarstan Design Institute, which developed a new masterplan in conjunction with Tatyana Prokofyeva, counsellor in Architecture and Urban Design for the city of Kazan, and her team.
Damon Lavelle, Principal at Populous, said:
“The Populous team has been inspired by the energy and drive of the people of Kazan in demanding world-class facilities.
The Kazan Arena has provided a fitting setting for the 27th Summer Universiade and, as the country’s first multi-use stadium and multi-functional community facility, a lasting legacy for this ever-growing city.”
