Dilip Kuner
WHEN Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium hosted Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, all eyes were on the pop superstar.
But for the football club the real star of the show was the stadium itself.
Swift’s concert marked the first occasion the ground was fully open – albeit ‘unofficially’ – after a massive revamp some 10 years after the plans were first announced.
But now it has been ‘officially’ unveiled.
It took €1.8 billion – about €1 billion more than initially planned – for architects GMP Architekten, L35, and Ribas & Ribas to transform it into a multifaceted public attraction, boasting a Real Madrid Museum, dining and retail spaces, and a skywalk offering panoramic views.
It also boasts a sliding roof and even an underground ‘greenhouse’ where the turf pitch can be retracted for optimal growing conditions.
A striking feature of the stadium is its sinuous stainless steel facade. This metallic skin, designed to conceal the original concrete structure, gives the Bernabeu a distinctive, sculptural form.
“The curved stainless steel louvres have imbued the Bernabeu with a new identity, solidifying its status as a Madrid landmark,” said a spokesman for GMP Architekten. “From afar, the metal facade shimmers like a jewel, reflecting light in countless ways.”
Beyond aesthetics, the metal cladding serves a functional purpose. Horizontal gaps between the louvres allow natural ventilation for the stadium’s interior.
The renovation also increased seating capacity by 3,000 to 85,000, added VIP and hospitality lounges, and introduced a retractable pitch housed in an underground storage facility.
