Project description of Stadium Euroborg by Wiel Arets Architects:
The multifunctional Euroborg stadium is a catalyst for a multiplicity of amenities that do not compete with the facilities in the city centre, but reinforce Groningen’s key position in the north of Holland. The complex houses theatres, sports facilities, shops, offices, apartments and catering establishments, in a synergy that benefits both users and facility managers. Rather than a conventional stadium with a football pitch, Euroborg will be a sort of microcosm where social interaction and social control go hand in hand. The stadium itself is an empty space constructed under architecture, with capacity for 22,500 spectators. It can be adjusted to reflect its use, which can be related to the activities of the entire complex.
The project is modelled on the amphitheatre of the Tuscan town of Lucca that, over the years, evolved into an urban square surrounded by a double ring of possibilities. This is why there are no front and rear situations; the specific function of the place dictates its ultimate design. The outer spaces along the Oude Windschoterdiep are part of the public recreation amenities. Billboards can be placed in the area surrounding the transformer substation alongside the Europaweg, for instance, advertising the activities and events going on behind. The public tribunes of the stadium are built up out of two rings. Fitted with communication facilities, the skyboxes, VIP areas and seats rented by companies can also be used for congresses.
project (title): euroborg stadium
location (address): Boumaboulevard 41 NL 9723 ZS Groningen, the Netherlands
project team: Wiel Arets, Bettina Kraus, Barend Christmas, Johannes Kappler
collaborators: Pedro Anão, Jacques van Eyck, William Fung, Jörg Lüthke, Paul Tesser, Andrea Tontsch, Satoru Umehara, Sadamu Shirafuji
Models: Sandra Feick, Vanessa Keith, Jaap Kraayenhof, Kees Lemmens, Susana Salasite supervisors:
furniture design: Wiel Arets Architects, Furiture produced by Moooi
urban planning : Wiel Arets Architects, Gemeente Groningen
date of design: 1998 – 2001
date of completion: 2002 – 2006
budget:
€ 90.000.000,- excl. BTW
€ 107.100.000,- incl. BTWphotographs: Hélène Binet, Arjen Schmitz, Kim Zwarts, Jan Bitter
client: Euroborg NV: Gemeente Groningen + G4 developers.
G4 is a combination of Ballast Nedam Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij bv, BAM Vastgoed bv, and Volker Wessels Vastgoed bvprogram: Soccer stadium FC Groningen wth 20,000 seats, offices, sport store, cinema, hotelschool, entertainment/leisure facilities, apartments, parking garage
area: 62.600 m2, parking garage with 1,000 spaces, theater with 1.950 seats, 2.000 m2 casino, 8.500 m2 school for Horeca and tourism, 23.000 m2 office space, 10.000 m2 retail/ fitness space, 180 apartmentsconsultants: BAM Advies & Engineering bv, DGMR bv, Tebodin Consultants & Engineers bv, T&H Adviesbureau Installatietechniek bv, Infra Consult+Engineering bv
Contractor: Bouwcombinatie Euroborg v.o.f, Ballast Nedam bouw, BAM Utiliteitsbouw bv, Rottinghuis bv
