Zaha Hadid Architects, Tredje Natur and Sweco to design new stadium in Aarhus
Published on: December 16, 2022
A team of British Zaha Hadid Architects in close collaboration with architecture and engineering consultancy Sweco and Tredje Natur architects has won the competition of designing and building the new stadium in the City of Smiles.
42 teams of renowned Danish and international architects signed up for the competition initially, while only three teams remained in the final. Now, the winning team is revealed.
In the evaluation report, the winning project is praised for having understood and interpreted the very special location in the old forests of Marselisborg next to the iconic and historic building Stadionhallerne:
The strong manifestation of the winning project is inviting and reaches out to the surroundings and connects very well with the context. The proposal is at the same time so distinctive and iconic that it will be remembered as a special stadium for Aarhus.
A new landmark
The New Aarhus stadium is inspired by its context and club legacy, aiming to become a new catalyst for fans and the local community, a new identity for the club, and a new landmark on the national and international football fraternity, explains Peter Kristiansen, who is the case architect on the Aarhus Stadium project from Sweco Architects.
We are thrilled to be awarded this prestigious project. We see it as a recognition of our local presence in the city and understanding of the uniqueness of the place, the context, and the soul and identity connected to AGF and Aarhus. We were the only remaining team in the final with a local office and to act as the local representative has been extremely important to us. With our partners we have designed a stadium that can’t be built anywhere but in Kongelunden in Aarhus, says Peter Kristiansen.
The Arena of the Forest
The project is named “The Arena of the Forest” by the winning team and the architectural profile is related to the historical context of the place and the surrounding forest and church. The stadium design is characterized by white pillars inspired by the profile of nearby trees – they stretch upwards, lean out and cover the surroundings of the stadium while also forming a giant crown that embraces the whole stadium.
“It is an honor to have been selected to build such an important project in Aarhus. Our proposal for the new Aarhus Stadium is inspired by its natural forest context and the club’s legacy. Providing a wealth of new public spaces for use 365 days a year, the stadium will be a new landmark for the city that incorporates the highest standards of environmental, economic, and social sustainability within in every aspect of its design and construction,” says Gianluca Racana, Director, Zaha Hadid Architects.


Great experience from every seat
Pillars, wood slats and a transparent, extended roof on the stadium creates a connection to the forest and gives a sense of grandeur. The old heritage building close to the stadium will be refurbished and its intense red color and white ornaments will keep the historic soul and charm that everyone in and near the club holds dear.
”Together we have designed a stadium that fits into the environment and with a Nordic profile. The stadium is carefully designed, and I guarantee that there will be a great experience from every seat of the new, beautiful arena,” says Peter Kristiansen, Sweco Architects.
Ole Schrøder, partner in Tredje Natur, sums up:
Our proposal is celebrating the proud spirit of the club and its importance for the City of Aarhus. Paying tribute to both the architectural heritage on site and the unique nature that surrounds it will serve as a welcoming gesture to the public. On any occasion!
The winning proposal for a new stadium will now be qualified during the first half of 2023 in collaboration between the City of Aarhus, the winning team and AGF. Parallel to that process, the contractor who will be responsible for the construction of the new stadium will be found. In the second half of 2023, the construction will be planned in detail, before the demolition of the current stadium gradually begins in 2024.
The construction phase will proceed over four stages towards the expected inauguration of a new stadium during 2026.
The three teams in the final were:
- Zaha Hadid (UK), Tredje Natur (DK), Sweco (DK)
- COBE (DK), AFL Architects (UK), Buro Happold (DK)
- Dorte Mandrup (DK), Kristine Jensen Landskab & Arkitektur (DK), Schlaich Bergermann Partner (DE), Søren Jensen Rådgivende ingeniørfirma (DK), Voetmann Akustik (DK)