CAPE TOWN RECEIVES THE KEYS TO THE NEW STADIUM
Only 32 months after the first sod was turned, the spectacular new Cape Town Stadium has been completed on schedule.
In a special ceremony for more than 200 invited guests and media, the contractors handed “the key of the door†to Cape Town’s Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato.
As the biggest project of its kind ever undertaken in Cape Town – the total cost was R4,5 billion – it is widely regarded as a triumph in both design and construction. Concept designers were GMP Architekten from Germany, while detail design was done by Louis Karol and Associates and Point Architects.
The main building contractors were Murray and Roberts and WBHO, two of South Africa’s largest construction companies. The City was assisted by a multi-disciplinary professional team who oversaw the project.
The project got off to a late start on 26 March 2007 after a lengthy public participation process which included an environmental impact assessment, rezoning and building plan approval, feasibility studies and some legal challenges from local residents.
During the construction process, some 2 500 workers have been employed and 1 200 artisans have received training from the contractors.
For the 2010 World Cup, the stadium will have 68 000 seats, but 13 000 will be removed after the event and used at other City of Cape Town facilities.
After the World Cup, the stadium will be operated commercially by Stade de France, a company that runs a massive stadium of the same name in Paris, and the South African sports marketing company SAIL. It is anticipated that the stadium will be used for rugby and soccer matches, music concerts, religious gatherings and spectaculars.
THE ROOF AND OUTER FACADE
The 37 000 square metre glass roof absorbed a high proportion of the costs and is an engineering “first†for Africa, using technology and components from Germany, France, Spain and South Africa. Weighing 3 750 tons, the roof is made up of 9 000 laminated glass panels that allow in the natural light but also contain the noise.
An outer façade made from fibreglass mesh contains the light and noise and, when lit up at night, gives the impression of a floating lantern.
NEW SPORT AND RECREATION PRECINCT
The stadium site occupies 18 hectares of the 80-hectare Green Point Common, which is being upgraded and reconfigured to meet high environmental standards and to provide extensive recreational and sporting facilities. It includes a vastly improved 9-hole golf course, sports fields and a new 12,5-hectare urban park. Water ponds for irrigation will be fed by water from the stadium roof and from a spring in Oranjezicht, thus reducing dependence on potable water.
IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.CAPETOWN.TRAVEL/MEDIA
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