Attending a sporting event is a unique experience, especially when the atmosphere is as good as it is in some particularly fascinating stadiums. These venues span the globe and guarantee an unforgettable experience in their own unique ways.
These stadiums are state of the art edifices and are widely appreciated as simply loveable.
Beijing National Stadium – Beijing, China
Design Build Network notes that the Beijing National Stadium was built to host the 2008 Olympic Games; at three million cubic metres it was the world’s largest enclosed space at the time of its construction, and also the world’s largest steel structure with 26 kilometres of unwrapped steel used.
The circular shape is meant to represent heaven, and its pottery-inspired pattern is what helped to give it its “bird’s nest” nickname.
Avicii Arena – Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm Live notes that the place formerly known as the Ericsson Globe opened in 1989 and is the world’s largest spherical building.
The 110-metre-wide steel, concrete and glass structure also fittingly represents the sun in the Sweden Solar System, the world’s largest cale model of the solar system. It’s the
national arena for the Swedish national hockey team, and was recently renamed Avicii Arena in honour of the late Swedish musician Avicii, who passed away in 2018.
Sapporo Dome – Hokkaido, Japan
No matter the sport or time of year, the Sapporo Dome has got it covered.
It’s the first dome in the world equipped with a system for switching between turf for baseball and football, as the Hokkaido stadium features a “hovering system” which opens and closes the dome walls to lift and move the natural turf football field as needed.
It also has an observation tower and a children’s park, and will be used for football at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Allianz Arena – Munich, Germany
Munich is home to a truly unique stadium. The entire building is wrapped in illuminated air cushions—the largest ETFE membrane shell in the world—and the façade changes colour depending on what event is happening.
Bayern Munich plays its home games at Allianz Arena, which also hosted the opening ceremony of the 2006 World Cup.
National Stadium – Kaohsiung, Taiwan
The National Stadium in Kaohsiung has the distinction of not only being the largest stadium in Taiwan—with a capacity of 55,000—it’s also the world’s largest solar-powered stadium, with 8,844 solar panels on the roof.
And the design is one-of-a-kind: it resembles a curled dragon or snake, with the entrance appearing as a gap between the creature’s head and tail. Thanks to all those solar panels, it runs completely on its own energy, the first stadium in the world to accomplish this feat.
Olympic Stadium – Montreal, Canada
Though the “Big O” is a little outdated and creaky, but it was a technological marvel in its heyday, and remains one of the most iconic and unique stadiums in the world.
Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is the largest covered amphitheatre in Quebec, and can hold up to 60,000 spectators when the floor is used.
Of course, the highlight is the Montreal Tower: at 65 metres high with a 45-degree angle, it’s the tallest inclined tower in the world, and the glass-encased funicular is the only one in the world built along a curved structure.
The Float at Marina Bay – Singapore
It wasn’t supposed to stick around, but The Float at Marina Bay in Singapore has become one of the most unusual and recognizable venues in the world.
It is a floating platform measuring 120 by 83 metres and seats 30,000 people, holding the world record for the largest floating stage. Its creators initially believed it would only be a temporary venue for five years until a stadium was completed, but construction delays meant it was needed longer, and is now an iconic part of Singapore.
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