Stadium Buildings: Construction and Design Manual

From ancient stadium construction to a design object of the 21st century: sports arenas have long been turned into places hosting a global media spectacle. For a few hours or days, colossuses made of steel and concrete transform into colourful festival locations. Since the first ancient stadium in Greek Olympia, the typology of stadium construction has undergone a profound transformation: due to changes in requirements and demand, an urban entertainment centre has emerged from the simple running track in the countryside. Through selected examples of projects, this volume from the Construction and Design Manual series illustrates the development of stadiums in relation to building typologies. It provides a basic manual of stadium design using basic planning parameters. Drawings, detailed plans and large-format photos facilitate an understanding of the carefully selected examples and are used to analyse stadium construction in terms of its construction history, planning and architecture.

Martin Wimmer, born 1928, architect, obtained his doctorate with a thesis on Olympic buildings (1975). Worked as an architect (Eisenhüttenstadt, Hoyerswerda) and as a theorist (industrial construction) at the Deutsche Bauakademie. From 1965 to 2002, Member of UIA Sports and Leisure Work Group. Visiting professor at various universities (incl. Dresden, Moscow and Ulan Bator).