SCAU's recently proposed stadium in paris will disappear under a luxuriant vegetation

to meet the challenge of building a stadium at the edge of a forest in clamart, france, SCAU architecture has proposed a compact design by entwining all programs. they are covered by a green mass of vegetation that stretches along the forest edge. from its green facade, only skylights are extracted, sometimes light channels, sometimes open bays. their mirrored screen-printed glass surface emits reflections of the events or the environment, allowing visitors to see fragments of landscape, sports matches or the sky. at night, however, the embankment lights up and the mirror is reversed.

aerial view of the project and the surrounding forest

to tend to compactness whilst preserving the views towards the forest and into the distance, french based agency SCAU architecture chose to occupy the hollow of the natural slope. the most important volumes — bowling, games room, gymnasium, athletics hall and car park — are buried underground. the visual impact of the building on the environment is minimized. the different functional entities are connected to create a synergy between them. rejecting the system of autonomous boxes in favor of a more organic system, each sporting or recreational activity finds its place in a multifunctional site. the proposal should be finished in 2024 and will surely be among the facilities for the olympic games in paris.

outside view — new stadium disappearing under vegetation

interior view of the stadium

the gymnasium is buried underground — a lot of lights comes from the glass roof

sketch of the project

architectural program

1st floor plan

elevation plan

section plans

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edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom