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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
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SUGAR VALLEY, MUNICH KCAP & SLA
Images © Populous
GRAND STADE HASSAN II, MOROCCO OUALALOU + CHOI & POPULOUS
The Grand Stade Hassan II, a 115,000-capacity stadium in Casablanca, Morocco has been designed by Paris-based architects Oualalou + Choi and global sports design leaders, Populous – it is projected to be the largest football stadium yet built in the world.
The design draws inspiration from the traditional Moroccan social gathering known as a ‘moussem,’ with the stadium structure set under a grand tented roof that emerges as a “dramatic intervention in the forested landscape.” At both ends of the stadium bowl, three steep, compact tiers ensure a “vibrant and spectacular atmosphere,” said Populous.
The stadium is covered by a unique aluminium lattice roof, supporting the geometry of the roof and the bowl is a ring of 32 stairways, creating “monumental gateways” that feature gardens positioned on raised platforms, each 28 metres from the ground. The stadium will be fully compliant for FIFA competitions, with the ability to host the final at the
FIFA World Cup 2030, following Morocco’s naming as joint hosts for the tournament alongside Spain and Portugal. It will also serve as the home of two local clubs.
Preparation for groundworks to start is underway on a 100-hectare site in the town of El Mansouria, in the province of Benslimane, 38 km north of Casablanca, after public financing was approved in October 2023.
The Sugar Valley project in Obersendling, Munich, designed by KCAP and SLA, with input by COBE, is set to create a new mixed-urban neighbourhood designed to host an array of typologies along its central public spine. The Obersendling district is currently undergoing a “deep transformation,” said the architects. Over the last decade, the district has seen many of its old factories and warehouses giving way to contemporary developments. This rapid transformation has made the area a “dynamic and attractive place to live.” Originally named ‘Wunderkammer’, this new neighbourhood repurposes a 4.7-hectare industrial site into a mixed-use quarter. Central to this development is a masterplan that emphasises a wide diversity of architectural forms, building heights, and uses, creating a lively and dynamic urban centre for Obersendling. “Leading the urban design was the question of how to create a high density urban neighbourhood that integrates seamlessly with its surroundings, while simultaneously providing a high visibility of urban life.”
Running through the centre of the site, is a former rail line which has been repurposed as a pedestrian and cycling path. Drawing further on the industrial and post-war history, the quarter “echoes the raw character of the area,” with materials like exposed concrete, steel and brick. “However, this post-industrial aesthetic palette is also softened by an abundance of greenery.” The district’s central plaza – flanked by three 80 metre towers – widens in the middle to create “an abundance of space where residents can gather and relax.” The staggered and terraced forms of the towers are a “nod to the industrial silos that once dotted the area skyline.” The expansive plaza is further framed by set-backs and staggers in the perimeter buildings.
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ADF SEPTEMBER 2024
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