Sociopolitical

Archasia wins bid to rebuild stadium in Kiev ahead of soccer tournament

Archasia aims to preserve the original style of the stadium that flows around the base of Cherepanov Hill. (Courtesy of Archasia Design Group Ltd.)

• Publication Date：04/25/2008
• By  June Tsai

Taiwan-based Archasia Design Group Ltd. won the bid to reconstruct the Olympisky National Sports Complex in Kiev, Ukraine, slated as one of the venues for the Union of European Football Associations' European football championships in 2012, an ADG press release said April 18.

Announced March 11 by Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sport, the bidding process to refurbish the stadium--one of the world's largest--attracted a total of 19 proposals by teams from Taiwan, Austria, Great Britain, Ukraine, Canada and China. Of the 24 members of Ukraine's Euro 2012 planning committee, 21 voted in favor of the ADG led by Lo Hsing-hua and Hsu Sao-you.

"Our proposal was the only distinctly asymmetric design," Lo said. "Kiev is a city with a long history, and the city's stadium is also part of that history. Therefore, our project is designed to have respect for this heritage, as well as for the features of the original structure."

Poland and Ukraine were given the right to jointly host the Euro 2012 tournament by a UEFA committee on April 18, 2007. The Olympisky Stadium is scheduled to host three group matches, one quarterfinal and the final during the summer of 2012.

Lo explained that ADG's overall plan intended to create a streamlined, dynamic stadium that corresponded with the flowing of the stadium's base around the bottom of Cherepanov Hill in central Kiev. In addition, translucent materials will be used on the roof, and the walls will be constructed of glass to reduce the visual impact of the structure on the natural surroundings.

Giving a facelift to the old complex and substantially repairing its public facilities will be the trickiest parts of the project, Lo claimed, adding that the stadium will have to be refurbished in accordance with guidelines issued by the international soccer football governing body and the International Association of Athletics Federations.

First built in the 1930s, the stadium could originally accommodate 50,000 people. In the late 1960s, a major expansion boosted capacity to 100,000, but between 1997 and 1999, the stadium was again remodeled, according to FIFA regulations, resulting in the present-day capacity of 85,000.

The lower tier of seating had originally been created to accommodate the slope of the hill, and it was this feature the Archasia team decided to keep as much of as possible. With that in mind, the ADG's proposal preserved two-thirds of the seats on the lower tier, numbering around 28,000. Adjustment will be made, however, to the seating to offer spectators a better view of the stadium, which will be used for track-and-field meets as well as football matches, Lo explained.

The budget for this project is around 200 million euros, and the ADG is expected to work with Kiev Design Institute and general contractors in Ukraine to complete the stadium by the end of 2011. Although only spending two weeks preparing for the bidding process, Lo said, the design group has more than 10 years of experience in designing and planning sports facilities around the world.

Other projects by ADG include the Taipei Arena, and a number of stadiums for the 2009 International Paralympics in Taipei and the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. The group is currently working on a project for the 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Vladivostok, Russia, and has also signed a contract with the relevant authorities in Moscow to construct an Olympic park for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

Write to June Tsai at june@mail.gio.gov.tw