The Allianz Arena and the Beijing National Stadium

Abstract

Sports arenas and stadiums have become critical and recognized pieces of urban architecture beginning in the late 20th century. With the advent of reinforced concrete and steel structures, stadiums could be built as extremely large and complex structures which can support various architectural designs. This paper examines the famous stadiums of the Allianz Arena in Munich built for the 2006 World Cup and the Beijing National Stadium in China constructed as the centerpiece for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Allianz Arena offers a crater-like design mimicking the Globe Theater to bring the audiences closer to the action. The external façade of diamond-shaped translucent ETFE cladding could light up the whole exterior of the arena based on teams playing, providing an effective design of a light cloud during daytime and an illuminating showpiece at nighttime – the first use of such technology across the whole structure.

Meanwhile, the Beijing National Stadium provides an incredible bowl-shaped structure of an Olympic stadia that is covered with a complex design of the roof and a façade of intertwining steel structure, mimicking the veins of crackled pottery prevalent in Chinese culture, and leading people to call it the Bird’s Nest due to the visual resemblance. The design and structure are seemingly chaotic but utilize incredible technological and engineering feats to provide seismic protection and calculated support to the massive building in a visually appealing manner. Both stadiums represent architectural progress in large structure construction and sports arena design, and while they share some similar elements, the approaches are distinctly different in meeting the needs and purpose of the respective stadia.

Introduction

Sporting arenas and stadiums are a unique architectural typology that centers around the human experience, the cultural impact, and the inherent complexity of such large structures. As the prevalence and impact of professional and international sports increased in the late 20th century, stadiums began to be built as large permanent, multi-use structures in a variety of shapes depending on their uses and size. The introduction reinforced concrete in mass construction also led to implementation of new designs that were now possible to sustain structurally. Both outdoor and indoor stadiums gradually increased in size and complexity in the late 20th century, as the concept of enclosed arenas and the desire for great capacities led towards discovery of improved materials and construction techniques.^¹

With the advent of modern technology and the solidified nature of professional sports in contemporary culture (along with the multiuse nature of sports arenas for the cities where they were located), stadiums became centerpieces in many urban areas and for major sporting events. Modern stadiums are large and extended, being not just a sports pitch with seating, but having wide arrays of athletic facilities, restaurants, exhibition halls, and other auxiliaries both inside and in the near area of the building.^² As urban centerpieces, stadiums also became a point of pride with resource rich cities and sports clubs hiring internationally renowned architect firms to design new sports arenas.^³ The last two decades in particular saw the emergence of stunning architectural designs in stadiums that were not only visually appealing but demonstrated unique and experimental structural parameters. This critique will examine, compare, and contrast two pieces of architectural work in the sports arena space – the Beijing National Stadium located in Beijing, China and the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

Beijing National Stadium

The Beijing National Stadium was built as part of the Olympic infrastructure projects in China as the centerpiece for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It was completed in 2007 and to this day is viewed as one of the most landmark and unique architectural designs in a stadium. Costing approximately 423 million USD, it was at the time the largest enclosed space at 3 million cubic meters and the world’s largest steel structure with 26km of unwrapped steel utilized that twists to form the roof, giving the arena the nickname ‘Bird’s Nest.’ The stadium can seat 91,000 people and heavily incorporates elements of Chinese art, with the design having a tremendous impact on the local culture while garnering Beijing international recognition. It was designed and constructed by a collaboration of Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport and the China Architecture Design and Research Group.^⁴

Figure SEQ Figure * ARABIC 1: A view from the grounds nearby the Bird’s Nest.

Munich Allianz Arena

The Munich Allianz Arena was constructed in 2005 built solely as a football stadium. It is owned and is the home to the international football club FC Bayern Munich. The stadium seats 75,000 and cost approximately 408 million USD. Similar to the Bird’s Nest, it was designed by Herzog & de Meuron Architects and ArupSport as modern piece of architecture with state-of-the-art stadium facilities. It is viewed as a landmark sports arena in modern Europe with highly unique design and technical choices that have not been seen to date.^⁵

Figure SEQ Figure * ARABIC 2: An aerial view of the Allianz Arena.

Methods and Assessment Criteria

In order to have fair and constant assessment criteria in the comparison and analysis of the architectural pieces in this paper, four criteria were selected. These are vital characteristics in majority of architecture works and help to effectively compare the choices made by the architects in the design and construction of the stadiums.

Design– the concept of the visual, ‘outer’ elements of a building, including its planning, visual appeal and characteristics, influence and style of architecture, and other aesthetical components.^⁶
Structural parameters and technical qualities – this criterion is focused more on the functional and durability aspects of a building. It includes more detail on the layout of the building, supporting elements and choices that are aimed at the structural integrity and internal designFurthermore, building’s construction can include elements such as specific materials used, environmental impact, or an examination of complex technical systems.^⁷

Critique

Design

The Allianz Arena was designed with three themes in mind, the presence of the stadium as an illiminated body with changing appearance, the crater-like interior of the stadium, and the landscaped space for procession of fans arriving. The shell along with the structural skeleton are designed to implement these concepts. The luminous body of the stadium is highlighted by shimmering, diamond-shaped ETFE cushions which can be illuminated seperately. The changing appearance as the panels change color bright enhance its attraction as an urban monument. Meanwhile, the interior built as a crater is meant to enhance the viewing experience, by bringing the three tiers of seating adjacent and as close as possible to the playing field. With the incline from bottom to top creates special density, with the influence drawn from Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, where spectators are closely positioned to the center stage.^⁸ The architects Herzog and de Meuron in the design of the Allianz Arena abandoned the constructivist approach of structural engineering in stadiums, and designed the large-scale emblamatic form in a way which places the audieces in the center of the spectacle. The arena seems to float over the landscape and against the contrast of the sky as a large monolithic air cushion or a colorfully illuminated UFO.

As mentioned earlier, the Beijing National Stadium was designed by virtually the same collaboration of architectural firms as the Allianz Arena, which at the point of architectural competition for Beijing’s stadium was already far into development. Herzog and de Meuron are known for creating buildings with strong local culture resonances, while their partners ArupSport for designing effective stadiums. The objective was create a stadium with a unique form but also an instantly recognizable symbol of China’s cultural and economic renaissance. Similar to other modern stadiums, the Bird’s Nest awas designed from the inside out. The bowl shape as seen in the image to the side was the primary structure and shape which allowed for the competitive field and seating. The bowl design had to balance of the element of having a good view with being close to the action. The bowl geometry was optimized for Olympic athletics and mass events as the continuously curved form of the seating tiers provided for excellent viewing standards and an immersive experience. Meanwhile, the external design of the façade and the roof was inspired by the local cultural symbol of crackle-glazed pottery and veined scholar stones.^⁹ Both defy structural logic and represent chaos but at the same time beauty. As a result, the Bird’s Nest is envelloped in a complex steel structure of intertwining arteries which are both chaotic and beautiful.

Figure SEQ Figure * ARABIC 3: Progression and inspiration for the Bird’s Nest design.

Structural

The structural construction of the Allianz Arena consists of the compact inner-space enclosed in a diamond-shaped, two-layer EFTE membrane cusions that are placed over the outer walls and the roof of the stadium structure. The roof of the areana is formed by a grid of steel members with the cusions supported on pinned collumns on curving steel girders. The structural frame of the bowl and stand are made from reinforced concrete. The rings of horizontal cushions extend on a double-curvature outer façade of five storeys around the stadium. The membranes are attached to the reinforced concrete frame but are independent of the roof. The structure provides space in the intermediate cavity for maintencnace cradles. The technology of the ETFE membrances used in the Allianz arena is a demonstration of great technical and architectural ingenuity. The stadium enclosure consists of 2,760 air-filled cushions, which differ in density based on the support provided as well as compass orientation (for example cushions on the roof are not transparent to provide shade for the stands).^¹⁰ It is arguably the first time ETFE membranes were used as a form of façade construction and greatly contributes to he multimedia effect when lighting effects are used to turn the entire structure into essentially an illuminated display. This combination of technology use with traditional structural architecture was unique and revolutionary for sports arena architecture at this level, creating a template for the future.

Figure 5: The side view breakdown of the Allianz Arena shows the extent of the internal steel frame structure and external covering reaching to the top of the arena. In creating the structure for the Beijing National Stadium, the architects faced significantly more challenges. First, stadiums that accommodate both athletics and a primary football pitch are inherently more complex. It was decided that the stadium should maintain the same distinctive external form in both Olympic and legacy modes, so temporary seating had to be accomodated within the main envelope. Furthermore, the stadium had to conform to the highly rigorous seismic codes in the region, while providing a structure stable for a moving roof. The bowl consists of six structurally independent segments with 200mm movdement joints in between. One benefit of using the bowl design structurally was its stability as well as incredible acoustic quality within the stadium which enhanced the atmosphere.11

Figure 5: The side view breakdown of the Allianz Arena shows the extent of the internal steel frame structure and external covering reaching to the top of the arena. In creating the structure for the Beijing National Stadium, the architects faced significantly more challenges. First, stadiums that accommodate both athletics and a primary football pitch are inherently more complex. It was decided that the stadium should maintain the same distinctive external form in both Olympic and legacy modes, so temporary seating had to be accomodated within the main envelope. Furthermore, the stadium had to conform to the highly rigorous seismic codes in the region, while providing a structure stable for a moving roof. The bowl consists of six structurally independent segments with 200mm movdement joints in between. One benefit of using the bowl design structurally was its stability as well as incredible acoustic quality within the stadium which enhanced the atmosphere.11

Figure 6: Blueprints which clearly demonstrate the bowl structure of the Beijing National Stadium enclosed in the envelope of complex steel beam structure in the roof and the façade. It was agreed to use 24 nodes for primary roof structure support. The roof structure spans a 313m x 266m space which envelops the bowl and concourses to form the roof and the façade. It results in a compact and strong external form that is not interrupted by traditional elements such as masts or arches. The roof is made from single layer ETFE membranes between the steelwork to protect spectators from weather elements and can be lit up as well. The steel members which form the envelop around the stadium which are seemingly accidental where designed to make them indistinguishable from primary structural elements that were supporting roof, with teritary elements contributing to the randmness effect. The steel members of the structure use 1.2m wide beams that twist and bend to follow the saddle-shaped geometry.12 Painted gray, the steel structure contrasted with the red paint of the extenral concrete wall of the main bowl, making it clearly visible through the façade when lit, generating impressive effects.

Conclusion

The Beijing National Stadium and the Allianz Arena are some of the most recognizable architectural pieces in the sports arena space. This paper sought to compare them side by side in the context of design, formal qualities, structural parameters, and technical characteristics. While sharing some design qualities and influence, the arenas are each individually unique and present critical architectural characteristics that redefine the construct of sports arenas in the 21st century.

Bibliography

“205 – Allianz Arena.” HerzogDeMeuron. Web.

“Allianz Arena – General Information.” Allianz Arena. Web.

“Beijing National Stadium, ‘The Bird’s Nest’.” Design-Build Network. Web.

Burrows, Stephen, et al. “The Beijing National Stadium Special Issue.” The Arup Journal 1, (2009): 4-49. Web.

“Design Innovations.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Web.

Gouray, Vinchu, Neela Jorge, and Archana Deshpande. “Application of Aesthetics in Architecture and Design.” International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology 10, no. 1 (2017): 183-186. Web.

Jeska, Simone. Transparent Plastics: Design and Technology 1st edition. Basel: Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.

Ochshorn, Jonathan, Structural Elements for Architects and Builders. Amsterdam: Elsevier Inc, 2010. Web.

Sisson, Patrick, “Can stadiums save downtowns—and be good deals for cities?” Web.

Walsh Niall, “Legendary Rugby Players Help HOK Design the Stadium of Tomorrow.” Web.

Image Bibliography

Figure 1 – “Beijing National Stadium, ‘The Bird’s Nest’.” Design-Build Network. Web.

Figure 2 – “Allianz Arena – General Information.” Allianz Arena. Web.

Figure 3 – Jeska, Simone. Transparent Plastics: Design and Technology 1st edition. Basel: Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.

Figure 4 – Burrows, Stephen et al. “The Beijing National Stadium Special Issue.” The Arup Journal 1, (2009): 4-49. Web.

Figure 5 – Jeska, Simone. Transparent Plastics: Design and Technology 1st edition. Basel: Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007.

Figure 6 – Burrows, Stephen et al. “The Beijing National Stadium Special Issue.” The Arup Journal 1, (2009): 4-49. Web.

Footnotes

“Design Innovations,” Encyclopedia Britannica, Web.
Patrick Sisson, “Can stadiums save downtowns—and be good deals for cities?,” Web.
Niall Walsh, “Legendary Rugby Players Help HOK Design the Stadium of Tomorrow,” Web.
“Beijing National Stadium, ‘The Bird’s Nest’,” Design Build Network, Web.
“Allianz Arena – General Information,” Allianz Arena, Web.
Gouray Vinchu et al. “Application of Aesthetics in Architecture and Design,” International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology 10, no. 1 (2017): 183-186, Web.
Jonathan Ochshorn, Structural Elements for Architects and Builders (Amsterdam: Elsevier Inc, 2010), Web.
“205 – Allianz Arena,” HerzogDeMeuron, Web.
Burrows, Stephen et al. “The Beijing National Stadium Special Issue,” The Arup Journal 1, (2009): 4-49, Web.
Simone Jeska, Transparent Plastics: Design and Technology 1st edition (Basel: Birkhäuser Architecture; 2007), 122.
Burrows, Stephen et al. “The Beijing National Stadium Special Issue,” The Arup Journal 1, (2009): 4-49, Web.
Burrows, Stephen et al. “The Beijing National Stadium Special Issue,” The Arup Journal 1, (2009): 4-49, Web.

Page count	7
Word count	2089
Read time	10 min
Subject	Art
Type	Critical Writing
Language	🇺🇸 US

Page count	7
Word count	2089
Read time	10 min
Subject	Art
Type	Critical Writing
Language	🇺🇸 US