The new Grand Stade de Lyon was designed to fuel the future aspirations, not only of the Olympique Lyonnais football club, but of the city of Lyon itself.
Also known as Parc Olympique Lyonnais and the Stade des Lumières, the 59,186-seat stadium is a wordclass venue, equipped with all the necessary features required by UEFA to host international tournaments and events. The design takes inspiration from the unique relationship that Olympique Lyonnais’ fans have with their stadium; for example the North and South Stands have been designed to respect and facilitate the OL fans’ tradition of singing to one another during games, creating a cacophony of noise and support.
The experience of the supporter is always at the heart of a stadium. In order to maximise the atmosphere created by the fans, the stadium is enveloped by a huge roof structure, a canopy inspired by the local forests, which protects the spectators in the stands and amplifies the noise they create. This covering, which at 53,700m2 is one of the largest in the world, extends over a large part of the podium surrounding the stadium, creating new spaces where fans can come together outside the venue. The roof also helps to create a new 30,000m2 civic space which can be used throughout the year for a range of activities and purposes, accommodating cafes, stalls and pop-up events, to serve both the needs of the football club and the wider community of Grand Lyon.
Inside, the stadium itself has also been designed to offer maximum flexibility in usage, with the ability to host a range of sports in addition to football, including international rugby and concerts with capacities from 20,000 to 60,000. World-class facilities are available for every fan and visitor to the stadium, with bars, meeting rooms, kitchen facilities, banqueting halls, 110 executive suites, and eight corporate lounges.
At night, the roof lights of the Parc Olympique Lyonnais will announce the new stadium from afar. A key feature that has been specifically designed to reflect the essence of Olympique Lyonnais, the city of Lyon, and the famous Fête des Lumières, the stadium will become a beacon for Olympique Lyonnais.
When the stadium opened on 9th January, Olympique Lyonnais were 9th in Ligue 1, a far cry from the 7 consecutive league titles they claimed between 2002 and 2008. They finished the season in 2nd place, unbeaten at the stadium, a testament to the effect of their passionate crowd and the enthusiasm they have for their new home. The stadium also hosted the Final of the European Rugby Champions Cup in May, when Saracens defeated Paris’ Racing 92 to lift the trophy for the first time.
This summer the stadium hosts 6 matches of the UEFA Euro 2016 Finals, including a semi-final match on 6th July. It has been rated as the best stadium in the tournament by French architecture magazine Le Moniteur.
