French architect Oualalou + Choi have released renderings for its 115,000-seat stadium to be built near Casablanca for the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
The Hassan II Stadium 1, set to be the second largest in the world after the Narendra Modi cricket ground in Gujarat, will be built in the town of Benslimane, 40km east of Casablanca.
Founding partner Tarik Oualalou said his firm’s design of the “Grand Stade” was rooted in Moroccan culture: in particular, the Moussem-style tent and the garden.
He said the concept was “a generous space, open to the world and respectful to the nature it protects. The Grand Stade de Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality”.
The design hopes to be 45-60% more energy-efficient than a typical stadium, while being sturdy enough to withstand the solar exposure and high wind speeds of the region.
Oualalou + Choi, in association with Kansas-based architect Populous, won the design contract in March, beating rival bids by Herzog & de Meuron, Zaha Hadid Architects and Foster + Partners, among others.
Other consultants in the project team include Maffeis Engineering of Italy and the UK’s Rider Levett Bucknall.
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