Dezeen Magazine

Real Madrid reveals revamped Santiago Bernabéu stadium

Football club Real Madrid has played its first game in the remodelled Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which is nearing completion following a revamp by architecture studios L35, Ribas & Ribas and GMP Architecten.

video released by the club ahead of the first match in the renovated stadium showed the structure with its new wrap-around facade largely complete and its retractable roof in place.

Real Madrid returned to the stadium to play fellow Spanish team Getafe on 2 September in the club's first game since the renovation began. The retractable roof was closed for the game.

Alongside the addition of a retractable roof and a steel facade, the renovation has seen the addition of a terrace surrounding the stadium on top of the stands and a new pitch removal and storage system.

Designed to allow the stadium to be used for large-scale events, the retractable pitch will be housed in six underground levels and feature an underground irrigation system and ultraviolet lighting to maintain the quality of the grass.

The renovation will also see the stadium's capacity raised from around 81,000 to 85,000, although only just over 66,000 watched the opening match.

Beginning in 2019, the revamp was designed by Spanish studios L35 and Ribas & Ribas as well as German studio GMP Architecten.

One of the world's best-known stadiums, the Santiago Bernabéu was originally built in 1947 and designed by architects Manuel Muñoz Monasterio and Luis Alemany Soler. It has seen several additions and renovations since.

L35 and Ribas & Ribas and GMP Architecten aimed to give the stadium a unified appearance with the new louvred steel facade.

In other recent stadium news at Europe's top football clubs the San Siro, which is home to Inter and AC Milan, was saved from demolition and Manchester City announced plans to add a hotel to its Etihad Stadium.

The video is courtesy of Real Madrid.