With nearly one year to go until Qatar is set to host its first-ever FIFA World Cup, the seventh of its newly-built stadia has been completed.
Arguably one of the tournament’s most innovative venues, Stadium 974, which is designed by Fenwick Iribarren Architects and built by Qatari firm HBK Contracting, is to serve a blueprint for stadium sustainability having been built from old shipping containers (974 to be precise) in a modular fashion. It is the first fully demountable stadium in the tournament’s history.
Being a temporary venue avoids issue of legacy and under-use, which so many major tournaments have been criticized for. Sections of Stadium 974, whether it’s the 40,000 seats, roof or other components, can be taken away and reused for other venues or events, and following the tournament the stadium will make way for a waterfront development for the community. The venue’s temporary nature and modular design also meant that fewer building materials were required than in traditional stadium building, which helped to keep construction costs down.
Stadium 974 is targeting five-star Global Sustainability Assessment System certification for both its design and construction. Due to its innovative design and waterfront location, the stadium bowl is naturally ventilated which avoids the need for cooling technology. Much of the stadium’s structure is made from recycled steel, while its efficiency methods claims the reduction of water use by 40% compared to conventional stadium developments.
Stadium 974’s design was first unveiled in 2017, now it is ready to welcome fans and action by hosting debut games at the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup Qatar.
