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In Chorzów, Poland, a new roofing of the stadium Śląski ensures that the audience is always dry. The historic sports facility, built in 1956, was the home of the Polish national football team until the new national stadium was built in Warsaw in 2007. Now it has been converted according to a design by gmp architects. In 2008, the office won the competition for the project and realized the largest translucent polycarbonate roof in Europe (43,000 sqm).

Pioneering architecture: one of the most modern sports facilities in Europe

The stadium is 335 metres long and 275 metres wide and is located in a cultural and recreational park. Today, football matches and major musical events, but above all national and international athletics competitions are held here. The sports facility is one of the most modern and largest athletics arenas in Europe.

Sporty metaphor for architecture

The elegant, oval canopy hangs from a cable support structure, which is modelled on the structure of a bicycle rim. With an upper and a lower outer steel ring and several spokes (hauling ropes) on the inner edge of the roof, the supporting structure was arranged above the playing field. It is supported by 40 reinforced concrete columns.

Inside the sports facility: local colour

Inside the stadium, the stands were also extended, the infrastructure modernised and new colour accents set: the stands and athletics track are designed in the Silesian colours blue and yellow. A successful architecture for sports enthusiasts.

Photos: © Marcus Bredt

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