Iconic Lusail Stadium: the ‘pearl of the desert’ created by the same architects that rebuild Wembley

Qatar was already a booming football hub in recent decades, but staging the 2022 World Cup came as a crowning achievement for the tiny Arabian Peninsula state’s efforts to become a football landmark. But to do so, the Middle Eastern country has had to build from scratch six of the eight stadiums that will host World Cup matches. And in particular the Stade Lusail, a small 80,000-seat masterpiece that will host the final.

The state-of-the-art Lusail stadium will host the World Cup final on 18 December. With a capacity of 80,000 seats, this arena was inaugurated on 9 September when it hosted the Lusail Super Cup final between Al Hilal SFC and Zamalek, an event considered a precursor to the final tournament.

More than just a football stadium, Lusail Stadium is part of the dynamic of multi-purpose, super-equipped arenas, capable in particular of hosting concerts, but not only. Although construction of this stadium began in April 2017, $662 million was invested in the work. Nevertheless, the Lusail stadium ensures sustainability. As soon as the competition is over, this sports stadium will be available for schools, shops, clinics, and other sports facilities. In addition, the 80,000 seats will be dismantled after the competition and redistributed to sports projects, according to Foot-Paul.com.

To preserve its current legacy, the stadium will be dismantled at a later date, after FIFA 2022. Although the entire stadium will be turned into commercial space, some elements will be donated and reused in the future. The stadium stands will be reused as a terrace for the new residential space and the entire stadium space will be converted into a shopping center. From affordable living spaces to schools, shops, cafes, and health clinics, the arena will be a community that will promote better and sustainable growth for the city of Lusail.

Lusail’s “Pearl of the Desert” will host a total of ten matches. The first will be the Argentina-Saudi Arabia match on 22 November, then it will host five other group matches, a ’round of 16′ match, a quarter-final, a semi-final, and the final on 18 December, which will coincide with Qatar’s National Day celebrations.

The stadium has been designed to be environmentally friendly, with the latest water-efficient technology. In addition, by virtue of its location, state-of-the-art material has been installed to protect the stadium from hot winds, keep out dust and allow enough light for the turf to grow, while providing shade to reduce the stadium’s air conditioning costs.

Between luxury, tradition, and a sustainable futuristic line, the Lusail Iconic Stadium pays homage to the present and future of the Lusail Metropolis in terms of the world of football, while reaffirming the infrastructure’s relevance as a landmark that will leave its mark on Qatar’s history.

Its gilded structure is inspired by the sumptuous detailing characteristic of the Arab world, shaped like a bowl with intricate detailing, and adorns its exterior with a play of lights reminiscent of the old filigree lamps of Arab tradition.

The Lusail stadium will embody the emirate’s ambitious passion to bring the rich culture of this part of the Middle East to the world, and is the latest of eight projects by British firm Foster and Partners, the same firm that was “responsible” for, among many other things, the redesign of the new Wembley arena, which El Pais writes about: “If the great stadiums of the world are often called cathedrals, then Wembley is the Vatican itself”.

Many factors were taken into account during the construction of the Lusail stadium. Current techniques ensure a low impact on nature in terms of environmental degradation and pollution.

Saving energy

The builders and the architects have made special efforts to conserve resources during and after construction. From recycling waste, water, and other natural resources to observing the long-term use of each material, the progress of the Lusail Stadium has covered all aspects of conserving and minimizing the use of each material. At the same time, the construction has been carefully analyzed to ensure that there are no or reduced polluting emissions.

A green city stadium

Minimizing the negative effect, the stadium is recognized as a green space where all possible needs will be met within walking distance. Measures have been taken to ensure the use of public transport, thus reducing carbon emissions. There are solar panels, a water recycling circuit, and other advanced technologies to maintain a balance in the use of resources.

A state-of-the-art metropolis

With its innovative design, the Lusail stadium will be a state-of-the-art metropolis. Every addition to the architecture is explicitly made with future use in mind. This area of the city will later be home to 200,000 people, who will live in harmony with nature. In addition, the developments at the stadium will be done in a multi-purpose manner, where an entire community will be there to support the livelihoods of many.

Intricate roof design

The roof of Lusail Stadium in Qatar has a different significance in terms of construction techniques. A state-of-the-art material was used to construct the roof to allow optimal light to enter the stadium. The roof will provide light for perfect turf growth and maintain the right temperature without overloading the stadium’s air conditioning system.