FCC

Remodeled Santiago Bernabéu Stadium unveils Spectacular Upgrades

2023-09-07

Real Madrid Football Club recently inaugurated its first match at the newly refurbished Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which is nearing completion after undergoing extensive renovations carried out by architectural firms L35, Ribas & Ribas, and GMP Architecten.

In a pre-match video released by the club, the stadium showcased its impressive new wrap-around facade, which is almost entirely finished, along with the installation of the retractable roof.

Real Madrid made their return to the stadium on September 2, facing off against fellow Spanish team Getafe, marking their first game at the renovated venue since the renovation project commenced. The retractable roof was closed during the match.

Among the notable enhancements introduced in the renovation are the addition of a retractable roof and a striking steel facade. Furthermore, the project has included the construction of a terrace encircling the stadium on top of the stands and the implementation of a new pitch removal and storage system.

One of the standout features of the modernised Santiago Bernabéu stadium is the underground retractable pitch, specially designed to facilitate the hosting of large-scale events. This innovative pitch is situated across six underground levels and features an underground irrigation system and ultraviolet lighting to ensure the grass's quality is maintained.

As part of the renovation efforts, the stadium's seating capacity has been increased from approximately 81,000 to 85,000, although the opening match was witnessed by just over 66,000 spectators.

The revitalisation project, which commenced in 2019, was collaboratively designed by Spanish architecture firms L35 and Ribas & Ribas, in partnership with the German studio GMP Architecten.