Intertwinings of Football and Architecture

San Siro Milan

It’s unfortunate seeing Old Trafford and Camp Nou changing their original charm. All things die at one point or another, and that includes football stadiums. These days, we’re seeing fewer quirky, character-filled arenas and more sleek, hyper-modern designs that often feel soulless. Take the “new” Old Trafford, for example — almost dystopian in comparison to what it once was.

I came across a picture of a large brutalist-esque stadium online, and it piqued my interest instantly: the Estadio Monumental de Lima in Peru. Shaped like a giant “U” to match the club’s branding, it’s the largest stadium in South America with a capacity of 80,000. It’s home to Club Universitario de Deportes, Peru’s biggest club.

The mammoth of a stadium started construction in 1991 and finally debuted on July 2, 2000. They won their first match 2–0 — a win for the team and a win for the builders.

Estadio Monumental de Lima in Peru

Engineer/Architect Walter Lavelleja was in charge of the project, and he has quite the impressive résumé. Lavelleja started his journey working for his country, Uruguay, helping build roads and dams. He left his job in Uruguay in search of new opportunities and gained the trust of a Brazilian construction company in charge of the Beira-Rio Stadium construction, earning him experience in stadium work. He left for Peru in 1960 and later started his own company. From then on, he was involved in the construction and renovation of other sporting giants such as the George Capwell Stadium in Ecuador, the Azteca Stadium in Mexico, and of course, our Estadio Monumental.

Another favorite of mine is Brazil’s Mineirão. Like the Monumental, it’s brutalist in style and full of presence. It was meant to symbolize hope, but it ended up hosting one of Brazil’s darkest football moments — the 7–1 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup. That cold concrete stadium made the loss feel even colder.

Mineirão

When construction began in 1959, few believed it would actually be completed. Cesar Gil, the construction manager, ran into constant financial problems but skillfully navigated political channels to keep things moving. The project received an initial loan of 100 million, which was burned through just laying the foundation. From there, it was a battle: finding workers, solving engineering puzzles, and keeping the budget from collapsing. Gil eventually launched a 24-hour construction schedule, split into three shifts, with 3,000 workers rotating around the clock. By 1965, the stadium opened in Belo Horizonte with a massive celebration — parachute jumpers, music, and, of course, football.

I’m not saying that the newer stadiums are bad, per se — they can definitely be nice, and they still have stories to tell. The Emirates, Parc des Princes, Signal Iduna Park are filled with character. It’s just, I love seeing ones that challenge architects and engineers. Clubs who hold on to their heritage, like Liverpool’s Anfield, are inspiring, and hopefully we won’t be stuck with the Santiago Bernabéus of the world.

Santiago Bernabéus