Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona

Delivering the world’s largest football club stadium

• CLIENT: Limak Construction
• LOCATION: Barcelona
• CAPACITY: 105,000 seats
• SERVICES: Specialist stadium parametric design

As part of FC Barcelona’s plans to refresh and redevelop its iconic 1950s Camp Nou stadium, the seating capacity is being increased from 99,350 to 105,000. Also, for the first time, the stadium will incorporate a roof, transforming the external appearance and structure of Europe’s largest sporting ground.

Providing specialist stadium design services, WOO architects supported the main contractor in delivering a best-in-class stadium-user experience. This has included using market-leading parametric modelling to ensure seating and sightlines meet client requirements.

This extensive project forms part of Barcelona’s wider Espai Barça project, which includes the delivery of a new Palau Blaugrana arena and the wide-ranging Campus Barça development.

Together with adding the new roof – to be the largest in Europe when complete, the project has involved demolition of the entire upper tier and all of the concourses and reshaping new spaces.

The redevelopment is a collaboration with contractor Limak Holdings, a Turkish conglomerate specialising in construction, energy, cement and tourism.

Tasked with delivering the Japanese architect Nikken Sekkei’s concept design, WOO architects was appointed, along with engineering partner, the Spanish company Ghesa and Australian firm Robert Bird Group as part of Limak’s design and delivery team.

Peter Richardson, Director of Sport at WOO: ‘It’s a privilege to be working on such a landmark project – not only the physical home of one of European football’s most formidable teams, but the symbolic home of Catalan sporting achievement. Our work will provide a legacy for a new age of sporting entertainment, and visually transform the stadium into one fit for the needs and aspirations of 21st century audiences.’